Trump slams Stewart, Donald Trump is never one to shy away from letting people know what he thinks, as is evident as Trump slams Stewart from “The Daily Show” over one of Jon's latest shows. E! Online shared the details on May 3.
A recent “The Daily Show” episode showed Jon Stewart joking about Donald Trump's “birth name,” which he declared was “F**ckface Von Clownstick.” The dig comes just after Trump had taken to Twitter to dog on Stewart, claiming that Jon was overrated and dumber than “The Celebrity Apprentice” host. Trump also shared Stewart's birth name, which is Jonathan Leibowitz, thus prompting Stewart's piece on Trump's supposed birth name.
Though Trump is good at dishing it all out, he isn't always so tough about taking the digs in return. Trump slams Stewart for mocking him and ranted via his Twitter page about the name going viral on social media. As Donald Trump usually does, he posted multiple tweets on the issue as he ranted on for some time. Whether Trump realizes it or not, Jon Stewart is most certainly getting many laughs over it all, as getting a rile out of Trump is often great entertainment.
Did Jon Stewart go too far with his digs on “The Daily Show”? Was it amusing to see Trump slam Stewart via his Twitter page? Donald usually keeps a cooler head on “The Celebrity Apprentice,” but his Twitter page often provides in-depth entertainment as he lets his opinions and emotions get the best of him at times.
Home » Archives for May 2013
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Pit Bull Saves Woman
Pit Bull Saves Woman, A woman and her child will be forever grateful to a stray pit bull. Back in January, a woman named Angela and her two-year-old son were playing on a playground in Port Charlotte, Florida. As the two were leaving the park and entering the playground, a man with a knife attempted to attack the mother and child.
It was then that a stray pit bull that had been running around the park came to the family’s rescue.
The sixty-five pound pit bull charged at the knife-wielding man and scared him off.
Shaken, Angela jumped in her car with her son. Still shaken from the incident, she was even more surprised to see that the pit bull had followed her into her backseat. The courageous pit bull who had scared off her potential attacker had wanted to go home with her too.
Angela named the stray dog “Angel” because she believes it is her guardian angel. She plans to adopt the dog if no one comes forward to claim it.
As Angela told told NBC2 News in an interview about the incident:
I don’t know what his [the thief's] intentions were — I don’t know why he did it, but I’m glad that — we call him Angel — I’m glad that Angel showed up because I don’t know what would have happened.
In response to the behavior of the stray pit bull towards the would-be attacker, Animal Control Lt. Brian Jones stated:
I don’t think the dog physically attacked the man, but he went at him and was showing signs of aggression, just baring his teeth and growling and barking. It was clear he was trying to defend this woman.
Why the dog chose to protect Angela and her young son may never be known. However, despite other stories about pit bulls attacking people, heart-warming stories like these go to show that pit bulls as a breed are loving, protective animals.
It was then that a stray pit bull that had been running around the park came to the family’s rescue.
The sixty-five pound pit bull charged at the knife-wielding man and scared him off.
Shaken, Angela jumped in her car with her son. Still shaken from the incident, she was even more surprised to see that the pit bull had followed her into her backseat. The courageous pit bull who had scared off her potential attacker had wanted to go home with her too.
Angela named the stray dog “Angel” because she believes it is her guardian angel. She plans to adopt the dog if no one comes forward to claim it.
As Angela told told NBC2 News in an interview about the incident:
I don’t know what his [the thief's] intentions were — I don’t know why he did it, but I’m glad that — we call him Angel — I’m glad that Angel showed up because I don’t know what would have happened.
In response to the behavior of the stray pit bull towards the would-be attacker, Animal Control Lt. Brian Jones stated:
I don’t think the dog physically attacked the man, but he went at him and was showing signs of aggression, just baring his teeth and growling and barking. It was clear he was trying to defend this woman.
Why the dog chose to protect Angela and her young son may never be known. However, despite other stories about pit bulls attacking people, heart-warming stories like these go to show that pit bulls as a breed are loving, protective animals.
God Gesture Disqualifies Team
God Gesture Disqualifies Team, What seemed like an innocent gesture had major consequences for the Columbus, Texas, High School Mighty Cardinals track team.
The Cardinals thought they won a 4×100 relay and a chance to move on to State, having bested the field by seven yards.
But Derrick Hayes’ skyward point led to a disqualification.
The runner was gesturing in thanks to God, but the point counted as “excessive celebration,” which is against the state scholastic rules.
Many in the town, including the runner’s father, called it a violation of religious freedom, but the school insists the gesture is not banned because it is religious, but because it is celebratory.
The Cardinals thought they won a 4×100 relay and a chance to move on to State, having bested the field by seven yards.
But Derrick Hayes’ skyward point led to a disqualification.
The runner was gesturing in thanks to God, but the point counted as “excessive celebration,” which is against the state scholastic rules.
Many in the town, including the runner’s father, called it a violation of religious freedom, but the school insists the gesture is not banned because it is religious, but because it is celebratory.
Miley tops Maxim: Miley Cyrus reveals that she’s Maxim’s hottest woman of 2013
Miley tops Maxim: Miley Cyrus reveals that she’s Maxim’s hottest woman of 2013, Miley Cyrus decided to leak the news that she placed No. 1 on Maxim’s Hot 100 list for 2013. According to a May 4 report by E! Online, Miley took to Twitter to let her fans know that they helped her snag the top spot. So all that twerking really paid off.
Miley tweeted, “Didn't know this was coming out yet! I'm so happy to be #1 on Maxims HOT 100! #myfanskickass #dreamsdocometrue.” Maxim was probably a little miffed that Miley Cyrus decided to leak the news before the site made its official announcement, but it’s fitting that Miley decided to use Twitter to break the news -- Maxim readers vote on who gets to top the Hot 100 every year, so Miley started using the social media site to encourage her fans to vote for her so that she would win the title of the hottest woman of 2013. Miley beat a bevvy of beautiful models, singers, and actresses this year, and last year the winner was model Bar Refaeli.
Miley’s opinion about using sex to sell herself seems to fluctuate wildly. She recently told Elle UK this: “Sex does sell, but you have to find a way that's not just showing your tits. I don't want to be a glorified model. They just walk on stage and it's all about their clothes -- or lack of clothes.” However, she followed that interview up by getting topless for a very racy V magazine photo shoot, and now she’s excited about being named Maxim’s hottest woman of 2013.
So obviously Miley is somewhat okay with using sex to sell herself -- she definitely didn't mind the "lack of clothes" in her V magazine shoot. Miley probably pushed her fans to flood Maxim.com with votes for her because she thought the publicity would help her upcoming album get a little free press, and she also posed on the cover of V magazine to promote it. So perhaps the pop star needs to be a little more careful when it comes to the comments she makes about musicians who are just “glorified models” -- she might end up getting lumped in with them if her record is terrible. And if she really is all about the music, then shouldn't she wait for her album to come out so that it can speak for itself?
Miley tweeted, “Didn't know this was coming out yet! I'm so happy to be #1 on Maxims HOT 100! #myfanskickass #dreamsdocometrue.” Maxim was probably a little miffed that Miley Cyrus decided to leak the news before the site made its official announcement, but it’s fitting that Miley decided to use Twitter to break the news -- Maxim readers vote on who gets to top the Hot 100 every year, so Miley started using the social media site to encourage her fans to vote for her so that she would win the title of the hottest woman of 2013. Miley beat a bevvy of beautiful models, singers, and actresses this year, and last year the winner was model Bar Refaeli.
Miley’s opinion about using sex to sell herself seems to fluctuate wildly. She recently told Elle UK this: “Sex does sell, but you have to find a way that's not just showing your tits. I don't want to be a glorified model. They just walk on stage and it's all about their clothes -- or lack of clothes.” However, she followed that interview up by getting topless for a very racy V magazine photo shoot, and now she’s excited about being named Maxim’s hottest woman of 2013.
So obviously Miley is somewhat okay with using sex to sell herself -- she definitely didn't mind the "lack of clothes" in her V magazine shoot. Miley probably pushed her fans to flood Maxim.com with votes for her because she thought the publicity would help her upcoming album get a little free press, and she also posed on the cover of V magazine to promote it. So perhaps the pop star needs to be a little more careful when it comes to the comments she makes about musicians who are just “glorified models” -- she might end up getting lumped in with them if her record is terrible. And if she really is all about the music, then shouldn't she wait for her album to come out so that it can speak for itself?
Anne curry wasn't good at job
Ann Curry “wasn’t good at her job,” said author Brian Stelter in his new book, Top of the Morning. Stelter went behind the scenes when Curry replaced Meredith Vieira on NBC’s Today show, only to get the axe a year later in the notorious Operation Bambi.
The New York Times staff writer and veteran reporter placed a lot of blame for ratings shift from Today to Good Morning America at the feet of the luckless Ann Curry. As far as Stelter is concerned, the ratings tell the tale — and the sorry truth is that Curry’s performance just didn’t cut it.
After 15 years, Good Morning America finally passed up Today in the ratings with co-host Ann Curry in the chair.
He also saved some blame for NBC itself, calling out the producers for letting the show get stale.
Whether Ann Curry was good at her job or not, Brian Stelter admitted that she faced an uphill battle for acceptance on Today. Calling the TV morning news business “Machiavellian” and “cutthroat,” he pointed out that hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake in the battle to win viewers.
Although Matt Lauer has claimed that he was unfairly attacked for Curry’s firing, Stelter didn’t paint an attractive picture of his role in Operation Bambi. NBC insiders, including Lauer’s co-host Kathie Lee Gifford, are reportedly furious about some of the accusations hurled his way.
An unnamed insider told Radar that Today show staff had lost what respect remained for Ann Curry in the wake of the book’s publication. According to that anonymous source, NBC blames Curry for somehow passing gossip to Stelter, either directly or by giving permission to her friends to speak with him.
Ann Curry “wasn’t good at her job,” said author Brian Stelter in his new book, Top of the Morning. Stelter went behind the scenes when Curry replaced Meredith Vieira on NBC’s Today show, only to get the axe a year later in the notorious Operation Bambi.
The New York Times staff writer and veteran reporter placed a lot of blame for ratings shift from Today to Good Morning America at the feet of the luckless Ann Curry. As far as Stelter is concerned, the ratings tell the tale — and the sorry truth is that Curry’s performance just didn’t cut it.
After 15 years, Good Morning America finally passed up Today in the ratings with co-host Ann Curry in the chair.
He also saved some blame for NBC itself, calling out the producers for letting the show get stale.
Whether Ann Curry was good at her job or not, Brian Stelter admitted that she faced an uphill battle for acceptance on Today. Calling the TV morning news business “Machiavellian” and “cutthroat,” he pointed out that hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake in the battle to win viewers.
Although Matt Lauer has claimed that he was unfairly attacked for Curry’s firing, Stelter didn’t paint an attractive picture of his role in Operation Bambi. NBC insiders, including Lauer’s co-host Kathie Lee Gifford, are reportedly furious about some of the accusations hurled his way.
An unnamed insider told Radar that Today show staff had lost what respect remained for Ann Curry in the wake of the book’s publication. According to that anonymous source, NBC blames Curry for somehow passing gossip to Stelter, either directly or by giving permission to her friends to speak with him.
The New York Times staff writer and veteran reporter placed a lot of blame for ratings shift from Today to Good Morning America at the feet of the luckless Ann Curry. As far as Stelter is concerned, the ratings tell the tale — and the sorry truth is that Curry’s performance just didn’t cut it.
After 15 years, Good Morning America finally passed up Today in the ratings with co-host Ann Curry in the chair.
He also saved some blame for NBC itself, calling out the producers for letting the show get stale.
Whether Ann Curry was good at her job or not, Brian Stelter admitted that she faced an uphill battle for acceptance on Today. Calling the TV morning news business “Machiavellian” and “cutthroat,” he pointed out that hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake in the battle to win viewers.
Although Matt Lauer has claimed that he was unfairly attacked for Curry’s firing, Stelter didn’t paint an attractive picture of his role in Operation Bambi. NBC insiders, including Lauer’s co-host Kathie Lee Gifford, are reportedly furious about some of the accusations hurled his way.
An unnamed insider told Radar that Today show staff had lost what respect remained for Ann Curry in the wake of the book’s publication. According to that anonymous source, NBC blames Curry for somehow passing gossip to Stelter, either directly or by giving permission to her friends to speak with him.
Ann Curry “wasn’t good at her job,” said author Brian Stelter in his new book, Top of the Morning. Stelter went behind the scenes when Curry replaced Meredith Vieira on NBC’s Today show, only to get the axe a year later in the notorious Operation Bambi.
The New York Times staff writer and veteran reporter placed a lot of blame for ratings shift from Today to Good Morning America at the feet of the luckless Ann Curry. As far as Stelter is concerned, the ratings tell the tale — and the sorry truth is that Curry’s performance just didn’t cut it.
After 15 years, Good Morning America finally passed up Today in the ratings with co-host Ann Curry in the chair.
He also saved some blame for NBC itself, calling out the producers for letting the show get stale.
Whether Ann Curry was good at her job or not, Brian Stelter admitted that she faced an uphill battle for acceptance on Today. Calling the TV morning news business “Machiavellian” and “cutthroat,” he pointed out that hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake in the battle to win viewers.
Although Matt Lauer has claimed that he was unfairly attacked for Curry’s firing, Stelter didn’t paint an attractive picture of his role in Operation Bambi. NBC insiders, including Lauer’s co-host Kathie Lee Gifford, are reportedly furious about some of the accusations hurled his way.
An unnamed insider told Radar that Today show staff had lost what respect remained for Ann Curry in the wake of the book’s publication. According to that anonymous source, NBC blames Curry for somehow passing gossip to Stelter, either directly or by giving permission to her friends to speak with him.
Sarah palin chewing tobacco
Sarah palin chewing tobacco, Sarah Palin took a shot at New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg during her speech Friday at the National Rifle Association's convention in Houston.The former Republican vice presidential nominee pulled a tin of chewing tobacco out, after saying "Now I see that the mayor of New York now wants to ban public displays of legal tobacco products."
Referencing her sip of a Big Gulp at the CPAC convention in March, Palin tapped the chewing tobacco tin and said, ""I tell ya, don't make me do it."
Palin also said that recent mass shootings have prompted leaders in Washington, D.C., to exploit tragedy in order to limit the freedoms of law-abiding people.
She said while she and others were saddened and angered by December's shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, the emotions that have resulted from it won't make anybody safer and won't "protect the good guys' rights."
The former governor of Alaska asked those at the convention to "keep the faith" and "stand up and fight for our freedoms."
NRA First Vice President James Porter, a Birmingham, Ala., attorney who will assume the organization's presidency Monday, issued a full-throated challenge to President Barack Obama in the wake of a major victory regarding gun control and called on members to dig in for a long fight that will stretch into the 2014 elections.
More than 70,000 NRA members are expected to attend the three-day convention amid the backdrop of the national debate over gun control and the defeat of a U.S. Senate bill that would have expanded background checks for gun sales. It was introduced after December's mass shooting at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school. A small gathering of gun control supporters were outside of the convention in Houston.
Porter's remarks came in a short speech to about 300 people at a grass-roots organizing meeting and set the tone for a "Stand and Fight"-themed convention that is part gun trade show, political rally and strategy meeting.
"This is not a battle about gun rights," Porter said, calling it "a culture war."
"(You) here in this room are the fighters for freedom. We are the protectors," said Porter, whose father was NRA president from 1959-1960.
Rob Heagy, a former parole officer from San Francisco, agreed with Porter's description of a culture war.
"It is a cultural fight on those 10 guarantees," he said, referring to the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution. "Mr. Obama said he wasn't going after our guns. As soon as the Connecticut thing happened, he came after our guns."
That theme carried throughout the day and reached a crescendo in a 3 ½-hour political rally punctuated by fiery speeches from state and national conservative leaders.
"You stood up when freedom was under assault and you stood in the gap, you made a difference," former U.S. senator and Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum told the cheering crowd of more than 3,500 at the rally.
"This is a critical time in American history. Something big is happening in America," Santorum said. "Stand for America. Fight for America."
Texas Gov. Rick Perry criticized gun control supporters as opportunists who prey on the raw emotions of tragic events.
"You can almost set your watch for how long it takes for people who hate guns, who hate gun owners, to start a new campaign," after a mass shooting, Perry said.
Obama, who has pushed for gun control measures, was a prime target for criticism the entire day. NRA Executive Director Chris Cox bragged about the organization's political victory.
"It was great to see the president throw a temper tantrum in the Rose Garden," Cox said.
Josh Horwitz, executive director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, called the culture war reference a sign the NRA is worried about polls that show most Americans support some expansion of background checks.
"They want to make it a culture war," Horwitz said. "They have to make it into something bigger. On the issue of background checks, they can't possibly win."
Gun control advocates were determined to have a presence outside the convention hall. Across the street Friday, the No More Names vigil read the names of gun violence victims since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. Gun control advocates also planned a petition drive to support expanded background checks and a Saturday demonstration outside the convention hall.
Erica Lafferty, whose mother, Sandy Hook principal Dawn Hochsprung, was killed by the gunman, was outside the building and said she hoped to talk to as many NRA members as she could.
"I am not against people owning guns. I am asking for safe and responsible gun ownership and gun laws. I don't understand where the problem is with background checks," Lafferty said.
While national polls have shown that a majority of Americans are in favor of expanding background checks, many convention attendees said Friday they were not in favor of such efforts.
"We already have something like those laws now. We don't need new laws on top of the old laws. They need to enforce the laws that we have," said Charles Henderson, 59, a farmer from Amarillo, Texas.
Inside the hall, visitors strolled past acres of displays of rifles, pistols, swords and hunting gear. Under Texas law, attendees could carry concealed weapons with a permit.
Debbie and Daniel Ferris of Gun Barrel City, Texas, attended the grass-roots organizing workshop and agreed with Porter's assessment of a culture war.
"It's about fighting tyranny," said Debbie Ferris, who has been an NRA member for five years. Her 35-year-old husband is a lifetime member.
"We don't like to be pushed around," Daniel Ferris said. "We are free Americans."
But gun control supporters promise to keep pressing the issue and have made significant strides at the state level.
Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, has said he will re-introduce the bill to require criminal and mental health background checks for gun buyers at shows and online.
Colorado lawmakers recently passed new restrictions on firearms, including required background checks for private and online gun sales and a ban on ammunition magazines that hold more than 15 rounds. Connecticut added more than 100 firearms to the state's assault weapons ban and now requires background checks for private gun sales.
Maryland and New York have passed sweeping new guns laws, and in Washington state, supporters of universal background checks recently announced a statewide campaign to collect 300,000 signatures to take the issue straight to voters.
"There are 90 percent of Americans that support this," Lafferty said. "We are not going away. It's a huge issue."
Referencing her sip of a Big Gulp at the CPAC convention in March, Palin tapped the chewing tobacco tin and said, ""I tell ya, don't make me do it."
Palin also said that recent mass shootings have prompted leaders in Washington, D.C., to exploit tragedy in order to limit the freedoms of law-abiding people.
She said while she and others were saddened and angered by December's shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, the emotions that have resulted from it won't make anybody safer and won't "protect the good guys' rights."
The former governor of Alaska asked those at the convention to "keep the faith" and "stand up and fight for our freedoms."
NRA First Vice President James Porter, a Birmingham, Ala., attorney who will assume the organization's presidency Monday, issued a full-throated challenge to President Barack Obama in the wake of a major victory regarding gun control and called on members to dig in for a long fight that will stretch into the 2014 elections.
More than 70,000 NRA members are expected to attend the three-day convention amid the backdrop of the national debate over gun control and the defeat of a U.S. Senate bill that would have expanded background checks for gun sales. It was introduced after December's mass shooting at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school. A small gathering of gun control supporters were outside of the convention in Houston.
Porter's remarks came in a short speech to about 300 people at a grass-roots organizing meeting and set the tone for a "Stand and Fight"-themed convention that is part gun trade show, political rally and strategy meeting.
"This is not a battle about gun rights," Porter said, calling it "a culture war."
"(You) here in this room are the fighters for freedom. We are the protectors," said Porter, whose father was NRA president from 1959-1960.
Rob Heagy, a former parole officer from San Francisco, agreed with Porter's description of a culture war.
"It is a cultural fight on those 10 guarantees," he said, referring to the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution. "Mr. Obama said he wasn't going after our guns. As soon as the Connecticut thing happened, he came after our guns."
That theme carried throughout the day and reached a crescendo in a 3 ½-hour political rally punctuated by fiery speeches from state and national conservative leaders.
"You stood up when freedom was under assault and you stood in the gap, you made a difference," former U.S. senator and Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum told the cheering crowd of more than 3,500 at the rally.
"This is a critical time in American history. Something big is happening in America," Santorum said. "Stand for America. Fight for America."
Texas Gov. Rick Perry criticized gun control supporters as opportunists who prey on the raw emotions of tragic events.
"You can almost set your watch for how long it takes for people who hate guns, who hate gun owners, to start a new campaign," after a mass shooting, Perry said.
Obama, who has pushed for gun control measures, was a prime target for criticism the entire day. NRA Executive Director Chris Cox bragged about the organization's political victory.
"It was great to see the president throw a temper tantrum in the Rose Garden," Cox said.
Josh Horwitz, executive director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, called the culture war reference a sign the NRA is worried about polls that show most Americans support some expansion of background checks.
"They want to make it a culture war," Horwitz said. "They have to make it into something bigger. On the issue of background checks, they can't possibly win."
Gun control advocates were determined to have a presence outside the convention hall. Across the street Friday, the No More Names vigil read the names of gun violence victims since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. Gun control advocates also planned a petition drive to support expanded background checks and a Saturday demonstration outside the convention hall.
Erica Lafferty, whose mother, Sandy Hook principal Dawn Hochsprung, was killed by the gunman, was outside the building and said she hoped to talk to as many NRA members as she could.
"I am not against people owning guns. I am asking for safe and responsible gun ownership and gun laws. I don't understand where the problem is with background checks," Lafferty said.
While national polls have shown that a majority of Americans are in favor of expanding background checks, many convention attendees said Friday they were not in favor of such efforts.
"We already have something like those laws now. We don't need new laws on top of the old laws. They need to enforce the laws that we have," said Charles Henderson, 59, a farmer from Amarillo, Texas.
Inside the hall, visitors strolled past acres of displays of rifles, pistols, swords and hunting gear. Under Texas law, attendees could carry concealed weapons with a permit.
Debbie and Daniel Ferris of Gun Barrel City, Texas, attended the grass-roots organizing workshop and agreed with Porter's assessment of a culture war.
"It's about fighting tyranny," said Debbie Ferris, who has been an NRA member for five years. Her 35-year-old husband is a lifetime member.
"We don't like to be pushed around," Daniel Ferris said. "We are free Americans."
But gun control supporters promise to keep pressing the issue and have made significant strides at the state level.
Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, has said he will re-introduce the bill to require criminal and mental health background checks for gun buyers at shows and online.
Colorado lawmakers recently passed new restrictions on firearms, including required background checks for private and online gun sales and a ban on ammunition magazines that hold more than 15 rounds. Connecticut added more than 100 firearms to the state's assault weapons ban and now requires background checks for private gun sales.
Maryland and New York have passed sweeping new guns laws, and in Washington state, supporters of universal background checks recently announced a statewide campaign to collect 300,000 signatures to take the issue straight to voters.
"There are 90 percent of Americans that support this," Lafferty said. "We are not going away. It's a huge issue."
Witherspoon arrest video
Witherspoon arrest video, The Oscar-winner and her husband Jim Toth were arrested on April 19.A one-and-a-half minute film of Reese Witherspoon's arrest on April 19, taken from a patrol car's dash camera posted on TMZ's YouTube channel has emerged and gone viral with more than 97,424 views in a few hours.
The short video film shows Reese slurring and screaming at a police officer in Atlanta, Georgia following her husband Jim Toth's arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol.
The Sweet Home Alabama actress gets into a drunken confrontation with a police office and is later arrest for disorderly conduct in the video.
Reese and her husband Jim was arrested for on April 19.
After repeated requests from the police officer and her husband to stay quiet, the actress got into an argument with the cop which lead to her being handcuffed, arrested and charged.
"I'm pregnant and I need to use the restroom," Reese tells the policeman. This she confessed to GMA on Thursday morning as being untrue.
In the video, Reese says, "Do you know my name sir?" to which the policeman replies, "Don't need to know."
"You don't need to know my name?" Reese asks as she raises her voice and adds, "You're about to find out who I am."
The actress accuses the officer of harassment as she says, "I'm a US citizen. I'm allowed to stand on American ground and ask any question I want to ask. You're harassing me as an American citizen. You better not arrest me."
The actress' husband seemed embarrassed as he tells the policeman, "I'm sorry. I had absolutely nothing to do with that."
Reese was ordered to pay a $213 fine on the charge of 'physical obstruction of another,' according to TMZ.
However, Toth was in court to enter a guilty plea for driving under the influence.
The judge told him, 'Consider yourself fortunate you didn't injure your passenger [Reese] and didn't kill anyone'
Toth, a talent agent for CAA didn't receive any jail time, but must perform 40 hours of community service and attend an alcohol education programme besides that he has also been placed on probation for 12 months.
The short video film shows Reese slurring and screaming at a police officer in Atlanta, Georgia following her husband Jim Toth's arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol.
The Sweet Home Alabama actress gets into a drunken confrontation with a police office and is later arrest for disorderly conduct in the video.
Reese and her husband Jim was arrested for on April 19.
After repeated requests from the police officer and her husband to stay quiet, the actress got into an argument with the cop which lead to her being handcuffed, arrested and charged.
"I'm pregnant and I need to use the restroom," Reese tells the policeman. This she confessed to GMA on Thursday morning as being untrue.
In the video, Reese says, "Do you know my name sir?" to which the policeman replies, "Don't need to know."
"You don't need to know my name?" Reese asks as she raises her voice and adds, "You're about to find out who I am."
The actress accuses the officer of harassment as she says, "I'm a US citizen. I'm allowed to stand on American ground and ask any question I want to ask. You're harassing me as an American citizen. You better not arrest me."
The actress' husband seemed embarrassed as he tells the policeman, "I'm sorry. I had absolutely nothing to do with that."
Reese was ordered to pay a $213 fine on the charge of 'physical obstruction of another,' according to TMZ.
However, Toth was in court to enter a guilty plea for driving under the influence.
The judge told him, 'Consider yourself fortunate you didn't injure your passenger [Reese] and didn't kill anyone'
Toth, a talent agent for CAA didn't receive any jail time, but must perform 40 hours of community service and attend an alcohol education programme besides that he has also been placed on probation for 12 months.
Tom knapp dies
Tom knapp dies, Tom Knapp, an exhibition shotgun virtuoso who broke world records by picking off flocks of airborne clay targets with the flair of a western movie hero and dazzled crowds with his effortless precision shattering of golf balls, radishes, aspirin and other flying targets, died on April 26 in Rochester, Minn. He was 62.
The cause was pulmonary fibrosis, his wife, Colleen, said.
Mr. Knapp, who was familiar to viewers of “Sharpshooters” on the History Channel and “Shooting Stars” on Discovery, mastered many kinds of long guns but was known mainly for his bravura with a pump-action 12-gauge shotgun.
A highlight videotape from 2007 (seen by more than three million viewers on YouTube) shows him firing his pump-action weapon from the hip, from behind his back and from over his head, each time hitting his airborne targets. In one scene, he hurls his shotgun into the air, flings a clay target skyward behind him, pivots, catches his gun and fires, leaving an orange puff of dust where the plummeting target had been.
From 1993 to 2004, Mr. Knapp made and broke his own records for the number of hand-thrown clay targets struck in a single round and for speed in doing so. His last record — 10 airborne targets hit (or “dusted,” in shooting-speak) in 2.2 seconds, each struck with a separate round — was set at an exhibition in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on Oct. 10, 2004.
Mr. Knapp, whose exhibitions were sponsored by firearms manufacturers, was widely considered one of the most accomplished heirs to an American tradition defined in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West shows by Annie Oakley and A. H. Bogardus. Mr. Knapp said he had been inspired by trick shooters of the next generation, most notably Herb Parsons, a showman who toured the country from the 1930s through the ’50s and often worked in Hollywood as a trick-shot stand-in for stars like Jimmy Stewart in “Winchester ’73” (1950), which involves a shooting contest.
“Parsons was probably the greatest of the modern era — and in my book, after him, Tom Knapp comes a very close second,” said Warren Newman, curator at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyo., a site of trick-shooting exhibitions. “What these two fellows did was always so much more than just shooting.”
He added: “What they did was amaze people, put on a real show. They were outstanding professionals.”
Thomas Knapp was born on Sept. 30, 1950, in Maple Plain, Minn., the youngest of five children of Howard and Virginia Knapp. His father gave him his first gun, a Daisy Red Ryder BB gun, when he was 9. At 10, he saw a televised performance by Mr. Parsons, who was famous for snap-shooting tricks like tossing three marbles into the air and shattering them with three shots. It set the direction of his life.
“From that day on,” he told Field and Stream magazine in 2007, “I dreamed about making a living with a shotgun.”
Serving as sponsors, gun and ammunition manufacturers like Winchester Olin, Federal Cartridge, Benelli USA and CZ-USA made it possible in the early ’90s for Mr. Knapp to leave his job with the Hennepin County, Minn., parks department after 25 years and tour full time.
Besides his wife, his survivors include two stepchildren, Christopher and Alison; four stepgrandchildren; and a brother, John.
Colleen Knapp said that before becoming ill, her husband performed steadily for almost 20 years, appearing for audiences in the United States and Europe. He inserted safety messages in the patter between tricks, she said, especially if children were in the audience.
“Do not try this; I am a trained professional,” Mr. Knapp said at one exhibition; he then tossed tomatoes and lettuce and blasted them out of the air. Next came a parade of targets of diminishing size — radishes, marbles, chalk cubes — ending with one of his trademark stunt targets, an aspirin.
“I been thinking about this aspirin here for a little while,” he said, holding it up between thumb and forefinger and shaking his head with practiced humbleness. “No guarantees,” he said, flinging it toward the sun.
He missed on the first shot. The second shot left a tiny cloud in the air, like dandelion fluff.
The cause was pulmonary fibrosis, his wife, Colleen, said.
Mr. Knapp, who was familiar to viewers of “Sharpshooters” on the History Channel and “Shooting Stars” on Discovery, mastered many kinds of long guns but was known mainly for his bravura with a pump-action 12-gauge shotgun.
A highlight videotape from 2007 (seen by more than three million viewers on YouTube) shows him firing his pump-action weapon from the hip, from behind his back and from over his head, each time hitting his airborne targets. In one scene, he hurls his shotgun into the air, flings a clay target skyward behind him, pivots, catches his gun and fires, leaving an orange puff of dust where the plummeting target had been.
From 1993 to 2004, Mr. Knapp made and broke his own records for the number of hand-thrown clay targets struck in a single round and for speed in doing so. His last record — 10 airborne targets hit (or “dusted,” in shooting-speak) in 2.2 seconds, each struck with a separate round — was set at an exhibition in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on Oct. 10, 2004.
Mr. Knapp, whose exhibitions were sponsored by firearms manufacturers, was widely considered one of the most accomplished heirs to an American tradition defined in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West shows by Annie Oakley and A. H. Bogardus. Mr. Knapp said he had been inspired by trick shooters of the next generation, most notably Herb Parsons, a showman who toured the country from the 1930s through the ’50s and often worked in Hollywood as a trick-shot stand-in for stars like Jimmy Stewart in “Winchester ’73” (1950), which involves a shooting contest.
“Parsons was probably the greatest of the modern era — and in my book, after him, Tom Knapp comes a very close second,” said Warren Newman, curator at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyo., a site of trick-shooting exhibitions. “What these two fellows did was always so much more than just shooting.”
He added: “What they did was amaze people, put on a real show. They were outstanding professionals.”
Thomas Knapp was born on Sept. 30, 1950, in Maple Plain, Minn., the youngest of five children of Howard and Virginia Knapp. His father gave him his first gun, a Daisy Red Ryder BB gun, when he was 9. At 10, he saw a televised performance by Mr. Parsons, who was famous for snap-shooting tricks like tossing three marbles into the air and shattering them with three shots. It set the direction of his life.
“From that day on,” he told Field and Stream magazine in 2007, “I dreamed about making a living with a shotgun.”
Serving as sponsors, gun and ammunition manufacturers like Winchester Olin, Federal Cartridge, Benelli USA and CZ-USA made it possible in the early ’90s for Mr. Knapp to leave his job with the Hennepin County, Minn., parks department after 25 years and tour full time.
Besides his wife, his survivors include two stepchildren, Christopher and Alison; four stepgrandchildren; and a brother, John.
Colleen Knapp said that before becoming ill, her husband performed steadily for almost 20 years, appearing for audiences in the United States and Europe. He inserted safety messages in the patter between tricks, she said, especially if children were in the audience.
“Do not try this; I am a trained professional,” Mr. Knapp said at one exhibition; he then tossed tomatoes and lettuce and blasted them out of the air. Next came a parade of targets of diminishing size — radishes, marbles, chalk cubes — ending with one of his trademark stunt targets, an aspirin.
“I been thinking about this aspirin here for a little while,” he said, holding it up between thumb and forefinger and shaking his head with practiced humbleness. “No guarantees,” he said, flinging it toward the sun.
He missed on the first shot. The second shot left a tiny cloud in the air, like dandelion fluff.
Kentucky Derby Hats 2013
Kentucky Derby Hats 2013, The Kentucky Derby is known as much for hats and high fashion as it is for fast horses. This year, rains are swamping Churchill Downs, but fans on the infield are still holding their heads — and their hats — high.
Bigger and bolder is the rule for hats that often dwarf their owners.
April Pauley of Columbus, Ohio, paraded around in the mud wearing a hat featuring flowers, a papier-mache jockey head and goggles and ribbons. "It's just my own little creation," Pauley said before taking a swig of her beer.
Bigger and bolder is the rule for hats that often dwarf their owners.
April Pauley of Columbus, Ohio, paraded around in the mud wearing a hat featuring flowers, a papier-mache jockey head and goggles and ribbons. "It's just my own little creation," Pauley said before taking a swig of her beer.
Donald Butler Manti Te'o
Donald Butler Manti Te'o, Manti Te'o wasn't a first-round pick, but that doesn't mean the football gods weren't looking out for him. That's the thinking, anyway; the Chargers took Te'o 38th overall, which means the former Notre Dame standout will begin his NFL career in Southern California, close to his Hawaii home, in one of the league's most laid-back markets.
Still, the fine citizens of San Diego haven't magically forgotten the fake, dead Internet girlfriend that landed Te'o in the media crosshairs (see the local paper for proof). Of course, Te'o can change all that with his performance on the field. And realistically, San Diego is as low-pressure an environment as any to make that happen.
But talk, as they say, is cheap. And while fans can be demanding, Te'o will need to first impress his teammates. Linebacker Donald Butler, for example, says Te'o has a lot to prove.
"I think a lot of people are jumping to conclusions," Butler told U-T San Diego this week. "He has to come in and prove himself as a starter. Obviously, it would be nice -- that's why you draft someone in the second round. We don't know how he's going to be in the NFL. I hope he comes in and he's a superstar. Hopefully we can create something that will carry us for the next four, five, six years.
"I'm looking forward to him coming in and being excited to work. From what I've heard, that is what he likes to do: humble guy who wants to come in and just work and really hone his craft."
In the weeks leading up to the draft, one of the recurring concerns was that Te'o would be the never-ending butt of locker room jokes, perhaps to the point that it would affect his play on the field. In March, Texans defensive lineman Antonio Smith said, “Our locker room is full of clowns and, oh, man, people would kill him. I mean he would be the butt of every joke for at least two, three years."
So is that a possibility in San Diego?
"I'm sure he'll get some jabs," Butler said. "But that comes with being a rookie. He might get a little more because of his situation, but I'm sure he's man enough to handle it and really grow from it. I don't think it's going to be anything over-the-top. It'll be your normal rookie jokes."
Much like Geno Smith, the new Jets quarterback, Te'o can quiet his critics by playing well. And Butler gets the sense his new teammate is willing to put in the effort.
"My thing is I just want to see him come here and work," Butler said. "A lot of people are talking about the future, and as bright as the future may seem or sound, he has to come in and prove himself before anything. That's what I'm looking forward to. I want someone coming in ready and willing to work and learn and be a part of this defense."
Still, the fine citizens of San Diego haven't magically forgotten the fake, dead Internet girlfriend that landed Te'o in the media crosshairs (see the local paper for proof). Of course, Te'o can change all that with his performance on the field. And realistically, San Diego is as low-pressure an environment as any to make that happen.
But talk, as they say, is cheap. And while fans can be demanding, Te'o will need to first impress his teammates. Linebacker Donald Butler, for example, says Te'o has a lot to prove.
"I think a lot of people are jumping to conclusions," Butler told U-T San Diego this week. "He has to come in and prove himself as a starter. Obviously, it would be nice -- that's why you draft someone in the second round. We don't know how he's going to be in the NFL. I hope he comes in and he's a superstar. Hopefully we can create something that will carry us for the next four, five, six years.
"I'm looking forward to him coming in and being excited to work. From what I've heard, that is what he likes to do: humble guy who wants to come in and just work and really hone his craft."
In the weeks leading up to the draft, one of the recurring concerns was that Te'o would be the never-ending butt of locker room jokes, perhaps to the point that it would affect his play on the field. In March, Texans defensive lineman Antonio Smith said, “Our locker room is full of clowns and, oh, man, people would kill him. I mean he would be the butt of every joke for at least two, three years."
So is that a possibility in San Diego?
"I'm sure he'll get some jabs," Butler said. "But that comes with being a rookie. He might get a little more because of his situation, but I'm sure he's man enough to handle it and really grow from it. I don't think it's going to be anything over-the-top. It'll be your normal rookie jokes."
Much like Geno Smith, the new Jets quarterback, Te'o can quiet his critics by playing well. And Butler gets the sense his new teammate is willing to put in the effort.
"My thing is I just want to see him come here and work," Butler said. "A lot of people are talking about the future, and as bright as the future may seem or sound, he has to come in and prove himself before anything. That's what I'm looking forward to. I want someone coming in ready and willing to work and learn and be a part of this defense."
Rainn Wilson Stranded
Rainn Wilson Stranded, Rainn Wilson, who plays Dwight Schrute on “The Office,” was stranded at the airport as he was traveling with some of his co-stars on Friday to Scranton, Penn.
He said to never fly on US Airways. “So @USAirways just screwed me & half the cast of The Office. Conctng flight left BEFORE departure time. Sorry Scranton won’t see u til tom,” he tweeted.
Wilson added: “The plane was a 20 seater, missing 7 people who had obviously just landed & it leaves 10 minutes EARLY!”
“I do understand your frustration. I’m sorry that we aren’t able to get you there sooner!” said a representative from US Airways, according to the Daily Mail.
“The Office” will have its finale at the end of this season after eight years.
Scranton, Penn. is where the fictional workplace of “The Office” is located. The cast and crew were apparently on their way for a fan party for the end of the show.
Steve Carrell, who played bumbling manager Michael, will not partake in the final episode.
“I think Steve felt, and I agree, that the ‘Goodbye, Michael’ episode was his goodbye and he didn’t want to overshadow the ending that all the other characters deserved,” producer Greg Daniels told Reuters this week.
He added:“After attempting to beat that (British) ending in a number of different ways, we ended up doing something very similar. We are trying to get more time and the network (NBC) is being very creative about scraping some more time without us having to start the finale at a weird time that will cause half the audience to miss the first 10 minutes.”
He said to never fly on US Airways. “So @USAirways just screwed me & half the cast of The Office. Conctng flight left BEFORE departure time. Sorry Scranton won’t see u til tom,” he tweeted.
Wilson added: “The plane was a 20 seater, missing 7 people who had obviously just landed & it leaves 10 minutes EARLY!”
“I do understand your frustration. I’m sorry that we aren’t able to get you there sooner!” said a representative from US Airways, according to the Daily Mail.
“The Office” will have its finale at the end of this season after eight years.
Scranton, Penn. is where the fictional workplace of “The Office” is located. The cast and crew were apparently on their way for a fan party for the end of the show.
Steve Carrell, who played bumbling manager Michael, will not partake in the final episode.
“I think Steve felt, and I agree, that the ‘Goodbye, Michael’ episode was his goodbye and he didn’t want to overshadow the ending that all the other characters deserved,” producer Greg Daniels told Reuters this week.
He added:“After attempting to beat that (British) ending in a number of different ways, we ended up doing something very similar. We are trying to get more time and the network (NBC) is being very creative about scraping some more time without us having to start the finale at a weird time that will cause half the audience to miss the first 10 minutes.”
Star wars day 2013
Star wars day 2013, Since 1977, the Star Wars fiction has taken on a life of its own. Its fandom has given Wars an almost unrivalled cultural influence that goes beyond the borders of traditional movie-goers or fictions fanbases.
Some go further and incorporate the Jedi philosophy from the Star Wars universe into their lives.
Jedi as a religion started with the UK's Jedi census phenomenon where, starting in 2001, people wrote “Jedi” in government census forms.
In England and Wales, 390,127 people identified themselves as Jedi in 2001.
Ten years later, the number had fallen to 176,632, in seventh place in the survey.
As a result, several Jedi-related cults have seen the light of day with overlapping philosophies inspired by the movies.
The Church of Jediism states on its website:“We believe that we are all connected by the force, not just people but plants and animals too.
"It’s what binds us, so when we die we believe that much like your body goes into the soil to fertilize and make way for life, your soul and spirit give into the universe joining the flow of the force which joins us all.”
Star Wars’ influence continues to spread, more than 35 years after the release of the first movie.
May 4th is not the only day in May dedicated to the Star Wars universe.
Star Wars is also celebrated on May 25th, dubbed by many fans International Day of the Jedi, as it is the birthday of the release of Episode IV in 1977.
Some go further and incorporate the Jedi philosophy from the Star Wars universe into their lives.
Jedi as a religion started with the UK's Jedi census phenomenon where, starting in 2001, people wrote “Jedi” in government census forms.
In England and Wales, 390,127 people identified themselves as Jedi in 2001.
Ten years later, the number had fallen to 176,632, in seventh place in the survey.
As a result, several Jedi-related cults have seen the light of day with overlapping philosophies inspired by the movies.
The Church of Jediism states on its website:“We believe that we are all connected by the force, not just people but plants and animals too.
"It’s what binds us, so when we die we believe that much like your body goes into the soil to fertilize and make way for life, your soul and spirit give into the universe joining the flow of the force which joins us all.”
Star Wars’ influence continues to spread, more than 35 years after the release of the first movie.
May 4th is not the only day in May dedicated to the Star Wars universe.
Star Wars is also celebrated on May 25th, dubbed by many fans International Day of the Jedi, as it is the birthday of the release of Episode IV in 1977.
New study shows exercise could lower kidney stone risk
New study shows exercise could lower kidney stone risk, It looks like women may have another reason to exercise: it could help prevent kidney stones. According to the ABC 7 news website, a new large study, which was discussed yesterday at an American Urological Association conference in San Diego, shows that even just getting in some walking time could cut the risk of developing this problem by about one-third.
The report goes on to state that the research involved nearly 85,000 women 50 and older in the government-funded Women’s Health Initiative study. All had an exam to measure weight and height so doctors could figure out their body mass index, a gauge of obesity. They also filled out annual surveys on what they ate, so researchers could take into account things known to lower the risk of kidney stones, such as drinking a lot of fluids and eating less salt or meat.
Participants in the study said how much exercise they usually got and that was translated into “METs-“a measure of how much effort an activity takes. For example, 10 METs per week is about 2 ½ hours of walking at a moderate pace, four hours of light gardening or one hour of jogging.
The research shows that compared to women who got no leisure-time exercise, those who got up to 5 METs per week had a 16 percent lower risk for stones. The risk was 22 percent lower with 5 to 10 METs per week and 31 percent lower for 10 METs or more.
Dr. Matthew Sorensen of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle led the study and says that the intensity of the exercise doesn’t matter. “Every little bit makes a difference” and the intensity doesn’t matter- just getting a minimum amount of exercise does,” he says. For more information on this study, visit the Health Beat page on the ABC 7 news website at http://abclocal.go.com/.
The report goes on to state that the research involved nearly 85,000 women 50 and older in the government-funded Women’s Health Initiative study. All had an exam to measure weight and height so doctors could figure out their body mass index, a gauge of obesity. They also filled out annual surveys on what they ate, so researchers could take into account things known to lower the risk of kidney stones, such as drinking a lot of fluids and eating less salt or meat.
Participants in the study said how much exercise they usually got and that was translated into “METs-“a measure of how much effort an activity takes. For example, 10 METs per week is about 2 ½ hours of walking at a moderate pace, four hours of light gardening or one hour of jogging.
The research shows that compared to women who got no leisure-time exercise, those who got up to 5 METs per week had a 16 percent lower risk for stones. The risk was 22 percent lower with 5 to 10 METs per week and 31 percent lower for 10 METs or more.
Dr. Matthew Sorensen of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle led the study and says that the intensity of the exercise doesn’t matter. “Every little bit makes a difference” and the intensity doesn’t matter- just getting a minimum amount of exercise does,” he says. For more information on this study, visit the Health Beat page on the ABC 7 news website at http://abclocal.go.com/.
Asteroid target for NASA's OSIRIS-REx now named Bennu after Egyptian god
Asteroid target for NASA's OSIRIS-REx now named Bennu after Egyptian god, A May 3, 2013 article in Space Daily notes that nine year old Michael Toler Puzio from North Carolina has won a contest to name the asteroid that NASA’s OSIRIS-REx will be headed toward in a sample return mission. The asteroid will now be named Bennu, after an Egyptian god usually depicted as a gray heron. “The dual nature of asteroids, bringers of life's molecules and sometime bringers of destruction, inspired the name.”
Previously the asteroid had the designation of (101955) 1999 RQ36. 8,000 students from 25 countries participated in the contest sponsored by the International Astronomical Union.
OSIRIS-REx is due to be launched in 2016. It will at asteroid Bennu in 2018, take a sample in 2019, and then return to Earth in 2023.
Bennu, besides being the name of an Egyptian god, has an obscure pop culture reference. It was the name of an alien trapped on Earth on a TV show called “The Phoenix” that ran for a handful of episodes in the early 1980s. Judson Scott starred as the alien and Richard Lynch as the government agent who pursued him.
Previously the asteroid had the designation of (101955) 1999 RQ36. 8,000 students from 25 countries participated in the contest sponsored by the International Astronomical Union.
OSIRIS-REx is due to be launched in 2016. It will at asteroid Bennu in 2018, take a sample in 2019, and then return to Earth in 2023.
Bennu, besides being the name of an Egyptian god, has an obscure pop culture reference. It was the name of an alien trapped on Earth on a TV show called “The Phoenix” that ran for a handful of episodes in the early 1980s. Judson Scott starred as the alien and Richard Lynch as the government agent who pursued him.
Banking on Congress, ‘Week of Action’ begins Monday in D.C.
Banking on Congress, ‘Week of Action’ begins Monday in D.C., As America’s workforce continues to shrivel in a stalled economy, a political activist group is calling for a “National Week of Action,” beginning Monday.
With Congress returning to Capitol Hill, proponents of the Glass-Steagall banking law will renew their push to rebuild the wall that once separated commercial banking from more risky investment brokerages.
HR 129 – The Return to Prudent Banking Act -- has 60 bipartisan co-sponsors in the House. Four states have passed resolutions calling for reimplementation of Glass-Steagall, and a dozen other legislatures, including Virginia’s, are considering similar measures.
Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, introduced HR 129 to restore Glass-Steagall, saying, “The response of Congress to the 2008 financial crisis has been completely inadequate.”
See a congressional and state-by-state datasheet here.
The Glass-Steagall Act was repealed in 1999 under pressure from Wall Street bankers trafficking in bundled subprime mortgages, derivatives, collateralized debt obligations, credit default swaps and the like. Inventing evermore exotic investment vehicles, the money movers pumped up a global financial bubble that eventually burst.
No senators have yet signed on to restoring the protective shield of Glass-Steagall, but Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., broached the subject while questioning Federal Reserve and financial regulatory officials at a Banking Committee hearing in February.
"Glass-Steagall was put in place in 1933 to prevent exactly what happened to us," Manchin said, referring to the 2008 collapse. "Why wouldn't we have those protections?"
Kaptur said the financial crisis “caused the loss of 8.8 million jobs and $19.2 trillion of household wealth (while) the seven largest banks in the United States -- JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, CitiGroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Metlife and Morgan Stanley (a spinoff of JPMorgan Chase) -- hold nearly two-thirds of the entire nation’s financial assets.
“There is no reason that our savings or checking account deposits should be used as leverage so Wall Street’s megabanks can engage in speculative trading,” the Ohio lawmaker stated.
In a new book, “The Great Deformation: The Corruption of Capitalism in America,” Reagan administration budget director David Stockman writes about the positive restraining effects of Glass-Steagall.
“What we have (now) is massive fiscal stimulus; what we have is a Fed that creates serial bubbles,” concluded the former Republican congressman from Michigan.
Paul Gallagher, economics editor of Executive Intelligence Review, a weekly magazine published by Lyndon LaRouche’s political organization, says the restoration of Glass-Steagall is essential to America’s economic recovery.
“Commercial banks are not lending. Deposit levels in commercial banks are up $1.6 trillion since 2008 (due largely to increased printing of money by the Federal Reserve), but lending is down by $990 billion,” Gallagher told Examiner.com in an interview.
“Where has the money gone? Banks are rolling in excess cash reserves. The biggest banks are holding and investing to protect themselves against securities losses they know are coming.”
April’s unemployment rate, while dipping to 7.5 percent, highlighted the split personality of the U.S. economy. Even as the Dow and other Wall Street indexes hit new highs – artificially inflated by the steady devaluation of the dollar -- the nation’s labor pool continues to shrink.
Nearly one in five Americans aged 19-28 is out of work, according to Generation Opportunity, a national, non-partisan youth advocacy organization.
The group calculated the “effective youth unemployment rate” at 16.3 percent. The official U.S. figure is 11.5 percent, a number derived by not counting 1.7 million young adults who have quit looking for work.
“It isn't like politicians care,” said Evan Feinberg, president of Generation Opportunity. “They spent (last month) pushing an Internet sales tax. Reckless policies coming from Washington continue to prevent the next generation from prospering.”
Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan fought financial regulations, reasoning that free markets will, over time, produce the best outcomes and that open competition would naturally weed out marginal players.
But Virginia state Sen. Dick Black, R-Leesburg, counters that “by separating traditional banking and high-risk investment banking, Glass-Steagall stabilized our banking system from 1933 to 1999.
“After it was repealed, ‘Too Big to Fail’ banks shifted their wildly speculative gambling losses to the backs of taxpayers. Some believe that has extended the Great Recession that plagues us still,” the senator told Examiner.com.
Urging Virginia’s congressional delegation to act, Black introduced Senate Joint Resolution 273, and Delegate Bob Marshall, R-Manassas, sponsored House Joint Resolution 600 -- both seeking to restore Glass-Steagall.
Gallagher said “gambling debt” by U.S. financial institutions resembles the ruinous monetary policies of Europe, where unemployment rates are higher and nations teeter toward bankruptcy.
He said separating commercial banking from higher-risk investment activity is crucial to recovery, and he points to Iceland as a success story.
The volcanic island nation – which had become a playground for British and other global investors by the early 2000s – suffered an economic collapse before the U.S. financial bubble burst.
But unlike Washington, which spent hundreds of billions of dollars funding a Troubled Asset Relief Program, Iceland’s government refused to bail out banks.
“We didn’t pump money into the banks,” President Olafur Grimsson told the Washington Times. “Why do people consider banks so holy that they cannot go bankrupt?”
Grimsson viewed the decision as a choice between democracy and Wall Street. In a national referendum, Icelanders voted against any bank bailouts.
“Every doomsday scenario turned out to be wrong,” he noted.
Gallagher agrees, pointing out that Iceland now has a 5.5 percent unemployment rate.
“It hasn’t been a picnic, but their economy is doing well and they are in the process of enacting Glass-Steagall-like law,” Gallagher said.
With Congress returning to Capitol Hill, proponents of the Glass-Steagall banking law will renew their push to rebuild the wall that once separated commercial banking from more risky investment brokerages.
HR 129 – The Return to Prudent Banking Act -- has 60 bipartisan co-sponsors in the House. Four states have passed resolutions calling for reimplementation of Glass-Steagall, and a dozen other legislatures, including Virginia’s, are considering similar measures.
Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, introduced HR 129 to restore Glass-Steagall, saying, “The response of Congress to the 2008 financial crisis has been completely inadequate.”
See a congressional and state-by-state datasheet here.
The Glass-Steagall Act was repealed in 1999 under pressure from Wall Street bankers trafficking in bundled subprime mortgages, derivatives, collateralized debt obligations, credit default swaps and the like. Inventing evermore exotic investment vehicles, the money movers pumped up a global financial bubble that eventually burst.
No senators have yet signed on to restoring the protective shield of Glass-Steagall, but Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., broached the subject while questioning Federal Reserve and financial regulatory officials at a Banking Committee hearing in February.
"Glass-Steagall was put in place in 1933 to prevent exactly what happened to us," Manchin said, referring to the 2008 collapse. "Why wouldn't we have those protections?"
Kaptur said the financial crisis “caused the loss of 8.8 million jobs and $19.2 trillion of household wealth (while) the seven largest banks in the United States -- JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, CitiGroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Metlife and Morgan Stanley (a spinoff of JPMorgan Chase) -- hold nearly two-thirds of the entire nation’s financial assets.
“There is no reason that our savings or checking account deposits should be used as leverage so Wall Street’s megabanks can engage in speculative trading,” the Ohio lawmaker stated.
In a new book, “The Great Deformation: The Corruption of Capitalism in America,” Reagan administration budget director David Stockman writes about the positive restraining effects of Glass-Steagall.
“What we have (now) is massive fiscal stimulus; what we have is a Fed that creates serial bubbles,” concluded the former Republican congressman from Michigan.
Paul Gallagher, economics editor of Executive Intelligence Review, a weekly magazine published by Lyndon LaRouche’s political organization, says the restoration of Glass-Steagall is essential to America’s economic recovery.
“Commercial banks are not lending. Deposit levels in commercial banks are up $1.6 trillion since 2008 (due largely to increased printing of money by the Federal Reserve), but lending is down by $990 billion,” Gallagher told Examiner.com in an interview.
“Where has the money gone? Banks are rolling in excess cash reserves. The biggest banks are holding and investing to protect themselves against securities losses they know are coming.”
April’s unemployment rate, while dipping to 7.5 percent, highlighted the split personality of the U.S. economy. Even as the Dow and other Wall Street indexes hit new highs – artificially inflated by the steady devaluation of the dollar -- the nation’s labor pool continues to shrink.
Nearly one in five Americans aged 19-28 is out of work, according to Generation Opportunity, a national, non-partisan youth advocacy organization.
The group calculated the “effective youth unemployment rate” at 16.3 percent. The official U.S. figure is 11.5 percent, a number derived by not counting 1.7 million young adults who have quit looking for work.
“It isn't like politicians care,” said Evan Feinberg, president of Generation Opportunity. “They spent (last month) pushing an Internet sales tax. Reckless policies coming from Washington continue to prevent the next generation from prospering.”
Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan fought financial regulations, reasoning that free markets will, over time, produce the best outcomes and that open competition would naturally weed out marginal players.
But Virginia state Sen. Dick Black, R-Leesburg, counters that “by separating traditional banking and high-risk investment banking, Glass-Steagall stabilized our banking system from 1933 to 1999.
“After it was repealed, ‘Too Big to Fail’ banks shifted their wildly speculative gambling losses to the backs of taxpayers. Some believe that has extended the Great Recession that plagues us still,” the senator told Examiner.com.
Urging Virginia’s congressional delegation to act, Black introduced Senate Joint Resolution 273, and Delegate Bob Marshall, R-Manassas, sponsored House Joint Resolution 600 -- both seeking to restore Glass-Steagall.
Gallagher said “gambling debt” by U.S. financial institutions resembles the ruinous monetary policies of Europe, where unemployment rates are higher and nations teeter toward bankruptcy.
He said separating commercial banking from higher-risk investment activity is crucial to recovery, and he points to Iceland as a success story.
The volcanic island nation – which had become a playground for British and other global investors by the early 2000s – suffered an economic collapse before the U.S. financial bubble burst.
But unlike Washington, which spent hundreds of billions of dollars funding a Troubled Asset Relief Program, Iceland’s government refused to bail out banks.
“We didn’t pump money into the banks,” President Olafur Grimsson told the Washington Times. “Why do people consider banks so holy that they cannot go bankrupt?”
Grimsson viewed the decision as a choice between democracy and Wall Street. In a national referendum, Icelanders voted against any bank bailouts.
“Every doomsday scenario turned out to be wrong,” he noted.
Gallagher agrees, pointing out that Iceland now has a 5.5 percent unemployment rate.
“It hasn’t been a picnic, but their economy is doing well and they are in the process of enacting Glass-Steagall-like law,” Gallagher said.
Man bites dog in the nose after vicious dog tore off his wife's nose
Man bites dog in the nose after vicious dog tore off his wife's nose, A man bites a dog and in doing so he probably saved his wife's life. A Grimes Iowa woman was taking her dog for a walk when out of nowhere a big dog raced toward them and attacked both her and her dog. The dog tore off Caren Henry's nose and if her husband hadn't happened upon the attack there's no telling what the outcome would have been, according to Fox News on May 3, 2013.
Caren was walking her dog near her father-in-law's home when a Labrador mix attacked her. At the same time her husband was on his way to pick her up and saw the dog attacking his wife. He jumped out of his pickup truck and ran to his wife. He said he could see that her face was full of blood so he knew he had to get the dog off of her quickly. It was then that Laine Henry bit the dog in the nose. It did the trick, the dog let go of his wife.
He grabbed Caren and their dog and put them in his pickup truck and took off for the hospital. Caren's nose was torn off by this vicious attack and she also had bites in her thigh and abdomen. She will have to have several reconstructive surgeries to fix the damage done to her nose. Laine was bitten on the arm by the dog and is recovering from that injury. Caren said she was lucky to be wearing sunglasses or she believes the dog would have bitten into her eyes.
Caren was walking her dog near her father-in-law's home when a Labrador mix attacked her. At the same time her husband was on his way to pick her up and saw the dog attacking his wife. He jumped out of his pickup truck and ran to his wife. He said he could see that her face was full of blood so he knew he had to get the dog off of her quickly. It was then that Laine Henry bit the dog in the nose. It did the trick, the dog let go of his wife.
He grabbed Caren and their dog and put them in his pickup truck and took off for the hospital. Caren's nose was torn off by this vicious attack and she also had bites in her thigh and abdomen. She will have to have several reconstructive surgeries to fix the damage done to her nose. Laine was bitten on the arm by the dog and is recovering from that injury. Caren said she was lucky to be wearing sunglasses or she believes the dog would have bitten into her eyes.
Art with a Heart to host Home is Where the HeART is: May 18
Art with a Heart to host Home is Where the HeART is: May 18, Art with a Heart, Inc. will present Home is Where the HeART is - a “creative casual” fundraising event, Saturday, May 18, from 7:00 to 10:30 p.m. at the Castle at Keswick (3355 Keswick Rd.) - Art with a Heart’s “home” in Hampden, Md.
Art with a Heart's mission is to enhance the lives of people in need through visual art.
According to a release from Art with a Heart, more than 300 guests will party throughout the Castle complex, including the Art with a Heart office and HeARTwares (Art with a Heart’s retail/service learning store,) as well as the covered parking area and the veranda.
“We are excited, once again, to share our “home” with friends and supporters and look forward to showcasing where Art with a Heart’s work begins,” said Randi Alper Pupkin, founder and executive director of Art with a Heart.
Honorary guest and speaker is Wes Moore, a youth advocate, Hopkins graduate, Rhodes Scholar, Army combat veteran, social entrepreneur and host of “Beyond Belief” on the Oprah Winfrey Network. His first book, “The Other Wes Moore,” became instant New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers.
“Wes’ book is a real life example of how important relationships can be and the difference a nurturing adult can make in a person's life,” Pupkin said.
“His message is everything that Art with a Heart is about and I am thrilled he is lending his name and his time to our event.”
The home-themed celebration will feature comfort food and cocktails from Zeffert & Gold Catering, an interactive art activity, and a silent auction and Chinese Raffle. Items include a week’s stay at a Sedona, AZ home, a week’s stay at a Kiawah Island, SC vacation home and Disney World 4-day park hopper passes, as well as a baseball signed by Eddie Murray and Jim Palmer.
Also up for bid will be one–of-a-kind garden gnomes decorated in various artistic mediums by local artists and Art with a Heart teachers and volunteers. Some of the names are as follows: There’s no place like gnome, Gnomer Simpson, Sherlock Gnomes, Til the cows gnome and When in Gnome.
Guests will also be able to purchase unique artwork, jewelry, house ware items, garden ornaments and assorted gifts, hand made by AWAH students and volunteers, and sold at HeARTwares.
The event is projected to raise $100,000 to subsidize the organization’s direct programming costs. Individual tickets are $100/person in advance and $125 at the door. Corporate sponsorships are also available.
For tickets or sponsorship information, call 410-366-8886 or visit www.artwithaheart.net.
Art with a Heart brings its 7,100 visual art programs to abused, neglected and abandoned children; homeless people; battered women and their children; pregnant adolescents; mentally and physically disabled adults; low-income senior citizens; elementary, middle, and high school students; youth in after-school programs; and children receiving long-term health care.
Also see:
Md. students to perform and participate at Chicago concert: May 5 (Photos)
Chillax with Rich Webster on Facebook and Twitter.
Art with a Heart's mission is to enhance the lives of people in need through visual art.
According to a release from Art with a Heart, more than 300 guests will party throughout the Castle complex, including the Art with a Heart office and HeARTwares (Art with a Heart’s retail/service learning store,) as well as the covered parking area and the veranda.
“We are excited, once again, to share our “home” with friends and supporters and look forward to showcasing where Art with a Heart’s work begins,” said Randi Alper Pupkin, founder and executive director of Art with a Heart.
Honorary guest and speaker is Wes Moore, a youth advocate, Hopkins graduate, Rhodes Scholar, Army combat veteran, social entrepreneur and host of “Beyond Belief” on the Oprah Winfrey Network. His first book, “The Other Wes Moore,” became instant New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers.
“Wes’ book is a real life example of how important relationships can be and the difference a nurturing adult can make in a person's life,” Pupkin said.
“His message is everything that Art with a Heart is about and I am thrilled he is lending his name and his time to our event.”
The home-themed celebration will feature comfort food and cocktails from Zeffert & Gold Catering, an interactive art activity, and a silent auction and Chinese Raffle. Items include a week’s stay at a Sedona, AZ home, a week’s stay at a Kiawah Island, SC vacation home and Disney World 4-day park hopper passes, as well as a baseball signed by Eddie Murray and Jim Palmer.
Also up for bid will be one–of-a-kind garden gnomes decorated in various artistic mediums by local artists and Art with a Heart teachers and volunteers. Some of the names are as follows: There’s no place like gnome, Gnomer Simpson, Sherlock Gnomes, Til the cows gnome and When in Gnome.
Guests will also be able to purchase unique artwork, jewelry, house ware items, garden ornaments and assorted gifts, hand made by AWAH students and volunteers, and sold at HeARTwares.
The event is projected to raise $100,000 to subsidize the organization’s direct programming costs. Individual tickets are $100/person in advance and $125 at the door. Corporate sponsorships are also available.
For tickets or sponsorship information, call 410-366-8886 or visit www.artwithaheart.net.
Art with a Heart brings its 7,100 visual art programs to abused, neglected and abandoned children; homeless people; battered women and their children; pregnant adolescents; mentally and physically disabled adults; low-income senior citizens; elementary, middle, and high school students; youth in after-school programs; and children receiving long-term health care.
Also see:
Md. students to perform and participate at Chicago concert: May 5 (Photos)
Chillax with Rich Webster on Facebook and Twitter.
'Obama stock market rally' hits record Dow, NASDAQ and S&P 500 on big job number
'Obama stock market rally' hits record Dow, NASDAQ and S&P 500 on big job number, U.S. stocks on Friday rose to record heights, with the Dow industrials soaring above 15,000 and the S&P 500 index above 1,600, and the NASDAQ as Wall Street celebrated the April jobs report. The continuing "Obama stock market rally" is reaching new heights with each passing week, as President Obama inherited a quickly dropping stock market in late 2008 and early 2009. President Obama also inherited an unemployment situation reminiscent of the "Great Depression of 1929," in which the stock market crashed and millions of Americans lost their jobs.
The quick turnaround of the stock market and the job market has result in rising confidence in the economy.
The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (SPX) advanced 1.1 percent to 1,614.42 at 4 p.m. in New York, topping 1,600 for the first time. The Dow gained 142.38 points, or 1 percent, to 14,973.96 after earlier climbing as high as 15,009.59. More than 6.4 billion shares changed hands on U.S. exchanges, in line with the three-month average.
In a statement by Alan B. Krueger, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, he said that "while more work remains to be done, today’s employment report provides further evidence that the U.S. economy is continuing to recover from the worst downturn since the Great Depression. It is critical that we remain focused on pursuing policies to speed job creation and expand the middle class, as we continue to dig our way out of the deep hole that was caused by the severe recession that began in December 2007."
Yesterday's report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed that private sector businesses added 176,000 jobs last month. Total non-farm payroll employment rose by 165,000 jobs in April. The February and March employment estimates were revised up by a total of 114,000 jobs. The economy has now added private sector jobs every month for 38 straight months, and a total of 6.8 million jobs has been added over that period. Over 800,000 private sector jobs have been added over the last four months.
The household survey showed that the unemployment rate edged down from 7.6 percent in March to 7.5 percent in April, the lowest rate since December 2008. The labor force participation rate was unchanged at 63.3 percent in April.
Alan B. Krueger said that "now is not the time for Washington to impose self-inflicted wounds on the economy. The Administration continues to urge Congress to replace the sequester with balanced deficit reduction, while working to put in place measures to create middle-class jobs, such as by rebuilding our roads and bridges and promoting American manufacturing. The President will continue to press Congress to act on the measures he called for in his State of the Union address to make America a magnet for good jobs, help workers earn the skills they need to do those jobs, and make sure their hard work leads to a decent living."
According to the establishment survey, in April employment rose notably in professional and business services (+73,000), bars and restaurants (+37,900), retail trade (+29,300), and health care and social assistance (+26,100). Construction declined by 6,000 (due to a fall in nonresidential construction employment), after growing for 10 consecutive months and adding 181,000 jobs in that period.
The Administration is stressing every month, the monthly employment and unemployment figures can be volatile, and payroll employment estimates can be subject to substantial revision.
But this economic jobs report is reflected in the continued "Obama stock market rally."
Send John Presta an email and your story ideas or suggestions to johnpresta@att.net.
John is the author of an award-winning book, the 2010 Winner of the USA National Best Book award for African-American studies, published by The Elevator Group Mr. and Mrs. Grassroots: How Barack Obama, Two Bookstore Owners, and 300 Volunteers did it. Also available an eBook on Amazon. John is also a member of the Society of Midland Authors and is a book reviewer of political books for the New York Journal of Books. John has volunteered for many political campaigns.
The quick turnaround of the stock market and the job market has result in rising confidence in the economy.
The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (SPX) advanced 1.1 percent to 1,614.42 at 4 p.m. in New York, topping 1,600 for the first time. The Dow gained 142.38 points, or 1 percent, to 14,973.96 after earlier climbing as high as 15,009.59. More than 6.4 billion shares changed hands on U.S. exchanges, in line with the three-month average.
In a statement by Alan B. Krueger, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, he said that "while more work remains to be done, today’s employment report provides further evidence that the U.S. economy is continuing to recover from the worst downturn since the Great Depression. It is critical that we remain focused on pursuing policies to speed job creation and expand the middle class, as we continue to dig our way out of the deep hole that was caused by the severe recession that began in December 2007."
Yesterday's report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed that private sector businesses added 176,000 jobs last month. Total non-farm payroll employment rose by 165,000 jobs in April. The February and March employment estimates were revised up by a total of 114,000 jobs. The economy has now added private sector jobs every month for 38 straight months, and a total of 6.8 million jobs has been added over that period. Over 800,000 private sector jobs have been added over the last four months.
The household survey showed that the unemployment rate edged down from 7.6 percent in March to 7.5 percent in April, the lowest rate since December 2008. The labor force participation rate was unchanged at 63.3 percent in April.
Alan B. Krueger said that "now is not the time for Washington to impose self-inflicted wounds on the economy. The Administration continues to urge Congress to replace the sequester with balanced deficit reduction, while working to put in place measures to create middle-class jobs, such as by rebuilding our roads and bridges and promoting American manufacturing. The President will continue to press Congress to act on the measures he called for in his State of the Union address to make America a magnet for good jobs, help workers earn the skills they need to do those jobs, and make sure their hard work leads to a decent living."
According to the establishment survey, in April employment rose notably in professional and business services (+73,000), bars and restaurants (+37,900), retail trade (+29,300), and health care and social assistance (+26,100). Construction declined by 6,000 (due to a fall in nonresidential construction employment), after growing for 10 consecutive months and adding 181,000 jobs in that period.
The Administration is stressing every month, the monthly employment and unemployment figures can be volatile, and payroll employment estimates can be subject to substantial revision.
But this economic jobs report is reflected in the continued "Obama stock market rally."
Send John Presta an email and your story ideas or suggestions to johnpresta@att.net.
John is the author of an award-winning book, the 2010 Winner of the USA National Best Book award for African-American studies, published by The Elevator Group Mr. and Mrs. Grassroots: How Barack Obama, Two Bookstore Owners, and 300 Volunteers did it. Also available an eBook on Amazon. John is also a member of the Society of Midland Authors and is a book reviewer of political books for the New York Journal of Books. John has volunteered for many political campaigns.
High surf and rip current warnings continue in Daytona area Saturday
High surf and rip current warnings continue in Daytona area Saturday, Update: Late Saturday morning, the National Weather Service said the risk of rip currents extended to the entire central Florida Atlantic coast, and a Small Craft Advisory was issued for the same area out 60 nautical miles
Original article:
The high surf advisory has been extended for coastal Volusia and Brevard Counties Saturday. The National Weather Service in Melbourne says the warning is in effect until 8 Saturday night. Forecasters warn of “…wave heights to 11 to 13 feet in the open Atlantic today [leading to] hazardous breaking waves in the surf zone along with strong and dangerous rip currents.” Peak breakers are expected by Saturday afternoon “…reaching 5 to 7 feet near the beaches.” The Weather Service also advised beachgoers not to swim alone and to always swim in front of a lifeguard.
The Daytona Beach area forecast calls for a 50 percent chance of showers Saturday, with thunderstorms possible after 2 p.m. It will be mostly cloudy otherwise with a high around 80. East to southeast winds will be around 15 miles per hour, with gusts up to 25 miles per hour. The chance of rain goes down to 20 percent Saturday night, with a low near 66. Winds will be slower also, from the east at 5 to 10 miles per hour.
Original article:
The high surf advisory has been extended for coastal Volusia and Brevard Counties Saturday. The National Weather Service in Melbourne says the warning is in effect until 8 Saturday night. Forecasters warn of “…wave heights to 11 to 13 feet in the open Atlantic today [leading to] hazardous breaking waves in the surf zone along with strong and dangerous rip currents.” Peak breakers are expected by Saturday afternoon “…reaching 5 to 7 feet near the beaches.” The Weather Service also advised beachgoers not to swim alone and to always swim in front of a lifeguard.
The Daytona Beach area forecast calls for a 50 percent chance of showers Saturday, with thunderstorms possible after 2 p.m. It will be mostly cloudy otherwise with a high around 80. East to southeast winds will be around 15 miles per hour, with gusts up to 25 miles per hour. The chance of rain goes down to 20 percent Saturday night, with a low near 66. Winds will be slower also, from the east at 5 to 10 miles per hour.
Clermont man killed, passenger injured in Lake County crash Friday
Clermont man killed, passenger injured in Lake County crash Friday, An accident in Lake County killed one man and injured a passenger Friday afternoon according to the Florida Highway Patrol. FHP spokesperson Sgt. Kim Montes says 22-year old Richard John Carroll of Clermont lost control of the SUV he was driving eastbound on Cherry Lake Road at Libby Road.
Troopers say the SUV left the road for an unknown reason, hit a wooden fence along the south shoulder and turned over multiple times. A passenger in the SUV, 53-year old Del Marie Baugh of Groveland, was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center in critical condition. The FHP says the accident remains under investigation.
Troopers say the SUV left the road for an unknown reason, hit a wooden fence along the south shoulder and turned over multiple times. A passenger in the SUV, 53-year old Del Marie Baugh of Groveland, was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center in critical condition. The FHP says the accident remains under investigation.
Lightning investigated as cause of oil tank explosions in Louisiana
Lightning investigated as cause of oil tank explosions in Louisiana, Lightning is being investigated as a potential cause of a series of two oil tank explosions, that forced the evacuation of more than two dozen homes in Louisiana Thursday night.
Livingston Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness director Mark Harrell said the cause of the explosions at a storage facility near the town of Denham Springs, just outside of Baton Rouge, remained under investigation Friday (May 3) by the state fire marshal's office. But he said residents reported seeing a lightning strike just before the first blast, WAFB-TV reported.
Scattered rain and thunderstorms were moving across parts of southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi in association with an upper-level low pressure area Thursday night.
The first oil tank explosion happened around 10:30 p.m. CDT Thursday and that fire later sparked the second oil tank explosion at around 4:30 a.m. CDT Friday.
About 2,300 barrels of oil, which is more than 96,000 gallons of crude, were inside the two tanks that burned. The oil is what leaked out of the tanks and the vapor from it was fueling the fires.
Harrell said it was contained to a 125-square-foot area and wasn't a threat to spread to nearby homes. The oil fires were extinguished late Friday afternoon and no one was injured.
While the evacuation orders have been lifted for the area, the Department of Environmental Quality will remain on site over the next few days to monitor the air quality from the fumes. Crews say they will being the cleanup process Saturday.
Plano, Texas-based Denbury Resources Inc. owns the facility where the tanks are located.
Get more interesting environment and science and space news. Also, follow along with the thousands of others for periodic weather updates, news and notes on Twitter.
Livingston Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness director Mark Harrell said the cause of the explosions at a storage facility near the town of Denham Springs, just outside of Baton Rouge, remained under investigation Friday (May 3) by the state fire marshal's office. But he said residents reported seeing a lightning strike just before the first blast, WAFB-TV reported.
Scattered rain and thunderstorms were moving across parts of southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi in association with an upper-level low pressure area Thursday night.
The first oil tank explosion happened around 10:30 p.m. CDT Thursday and that fire later sparked the second oil tank explosion at around 4:30 a.m. CDT Friday.
About 2,300 barrels of oil, which is more than 96,000 gallons of crude, were inside the two tanks that burned. The oil is what leaked out of the tanks and the vapor from it was fueling the fires.
Harrell said it was contained to a 125-square-foot area and wasn't a threat to spread to nearby homes. The oil fires were extinguished late Friday afternoon and no one was injured.
While the evacuation orders have been lifted for the area, the Department of Environmental Quality will remain on site over the next few days to monitor the air quality from the fumes. Crews say they will being the cleanup process Saturday.
Plano, Texas-based Denbury Resources Inc. owns the facility where the tanks are located.
Get more interesting environment and science and space news. Also, follow along with the thousands of others for periodic weather updates, news and notes on Twitter.
Airline lipstick ban has more to it than keeping attendants looking 'natural'
Airline lipstick ban has more to it than keeping attendants looking 'natural', A major airline has put a red lipstick ban into place for the flight attendants and they've also banned red nail polish. Turkey's national airline has stirred up some major controversy with this ban among secular Turks.
According to Yahoo News on May 3, 2013, secular Turks are worried that the country is becoming more Islamic. This is to the contrary the airline claims. Banning the bright red cosmetics is just about consistency among the flight attendants mode of dress, as the company wants them to appear more natural. This in turn is supposed to make them more approachable to the passengers.
Turkish Airlines, which is Europe's fourth-biggest carrier, claims the ban is to keep their attendants “well-groomed with makeup in pastel tones.” They also said that a “natural look improved communications with passengers." This is the statement released by the airline describing why red is too bright of a color for the attendants to wear:
"As a consequence of our current cabin uniforms not including red, dark pink, et cetera, the use of lipstick and nail polish in these colors by our cabin crew impairs visual integrity."
It sounds as if the company just wants to keep colors coordinated across the board. This is not the case claims Atilay Aycin, president of the airline's Hava-Is labor union. He said:
"This new guideline is totally down to Turkish Airlines management's desire to shape the company to fit its own political and ideological stance."
The guideline also sets forth other restrictions on employees' appearance and on serving alcohol. This is another reason that the labor union worries that the company is shaping up to fit its own political stance.
According to Yahoo News on May 3, 2013, secular Turks are worried that the country is becoming more Islamic. This is to the contrary the airline claims. Banning the bright red cosmetics is just about consistency among the flight attendants mode of dress, as the company wants them to appear more natural. This in turn is supposed to make them more approachable to the passengers.
Turkish Airlines, which is Europe's fourth-biggest carrier, claims the ban is to keep their attendants “well-groomed with makeup in pastel tones.” They also said that a “natural look improved communications with passengers." This is the statement released by the airline describing why red is too bright of a color for the attendants to wear:
"As a consequence of our current cabin uniforms not including red, dark pink, et cetera, the use of lipstick and nail polish in these colors by our cabin crew impairs visual integrity."
It sounds as if the company just wants to keep colors coordinated across the board. This is not the case claims Atilay Aycin, president of the airline's Hava-Is labor union. He said:
"This new guideline is totally down to Turkish Airlines management's desire to shape the company to fit its own political and ideological stance."
The guideline also sets forth other restrictions on employees' appearance and on serving alcohol. This is another reason that the labor union worries that the company is shaping up to fit its own political stance.
Shot girlfriend mistaken for hog in accidental shooting forgives hunter
Shot girlfriend mistaken for hog in accidental shooting forgives hunter, A Florida man shot his girlfriend in a case of mistaken identity; the hunter thought she was a hog. Luckily, his lover recovered from the accidental shooting that nearly claimed her life. Having forgiven her lover from the start, the woman is slowly recovering. Despite the insensitive spoofs that ensued, the couple is an inspiration to many.
On May 3, Tampa Bay Times ran a touching story about Steve Egan and Lisa Simmons' ordeal that is chock full of details missing from other sources.
While headlines of "Shot girlfriend mistaken for hog" center on spoof, a larger message of love, hope and faith is at play of the couple (pictured here).
A year ago, Lisa and Steve went hog hunting in Flagler County. At one point, Egan saw a hog from his blind, took aim and fired a shot. While he pursued the injured animal, Simmons, dressed in camouflage pants, darted off to an area she'd seen earlier containing sour oranges. Her intentions were to collect a few for a homemade marinade recipe.
Suddenly, as she stood on her toes to get the ripe oranges nearly out of reach, she felt a violent pain that knocked her off her feet. The nurse of 18 years looked down and saw blood pouring from a gaping wound. As a nurse, she knew a bullet ripped through her femoral artery. But who shot her?
Moments later, Eagan found his girlfriend lying in the brush, bleeding heavily from her leg. Even before Lisa said, "Steve, you shot me," the man knew he shot his girlfriend and mistook it for a hog.
The woman instantly ripped off the man's belt and used tied it around the wound to stop the blood loss. Meanwhile, Steve darted off to camp and fetched their cell phone to call 911.
Throughout the stress of the shooting, Steve had a tough time directing first responders to their area. However, a hour after the man mistakenly shot his girlfriend while hog-hunting, a helicopter arrived and airlifted the woman to a nearby hospital.
There, she went through emergency and required 14 pints of blood. Lisa nearly died on two occasions, but the strong "country girl" never lost her cool.
Despite the couple's insistence on privacy, news outlets ran headlines, many with photos of hogs. Additionally, comics like Jay Leno used the couple's ordeal during his monologue.
"I don't know what is worse for the girl: having your boyfriend shoot you in the legs or saying the reason he did it was that he mistook you for a hog. Pretty awful."
Even the woman's Facebook page had to be taken down as a result of the many insensitive comments. Although the shooting was a painful experience, the unwanted attention took its toll.
As Lisa admitted, the harsh comments only faded because an incident in Miami involving a "zombie," allegedly high on bath salts, took over the air waves.
The good news is that Lisa never blamed her boyfriend. Despite being on full disability from her nursing job and enduring a long and painful recovery, Simmons thinks life is too precious to place blame on others.
"Take responsibility for your part of what happened. Whatever it is, don't blame the other person because a lot of things go into an accident or problem. It's not just one factor," she says.
After having shot his girlfriend, mistaken for a hog, Steve sought therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD). However, he is grateful because things could have been a whole lot worse.
On May 3, Tampa Bay Times ran a touching story about Steve Egan and Lisa Simmons' ordeal that is chock full of details missing from other sources.
While headlines of "Shot girlfriend mistaken for hog" center on spoof, a larger message of love, hope and faith is at play of the couple (pictured here).
A year ago, Lisa and Steve went hog hunting in Flagler County. At one point, Egan saw a hog from his blind, took aim and fired a shot. While he pursued the injured animal, Simmons, dressed in camouflage pants, darted off to an area she'd seen earlier containing sour oranges. Her intentions were to collect a few for a homemade marinade recipe.
Suddenly, as she stood on her toes to get the ripe oranges nearly out of reach, she felt a violent pain that knocked her off her feet. The nurse of 18 years looked down and saw blood pouring from a gaping wound. As a nurse, she knew a bullet ripped through her femoral artery. But who shot her?
Moments later, Eagan found his girlfriend lying in the brush, bleeding heavily from her leg. Even before Lisa said, "Steve, you shot me," the man knew he shot his girlfriend and mistook it for a hog.
The woman instantly ripped off the man's belt and used tied it around the wound to stop the blood loss. Meanwhile, Steve darted off to camp and fetched their cell phone to call 911.
Throughout the stress of the shooting, Steve had a tough time directing first responders to their area. However, a hour after the man mistakenly shot his girlfriend while hog-hunting, a helicopter arrived and airlifted the woman to a nearby hospital.
There, she went through emergency and required 14 pints of blood. Lisa nearly died on two occasions, but the strong "country girl" never lost her cool.
Despite the couple's insistence on privacy, news outlets ran headlines, many with photos of hogs. Additionally, comics like Jay Leno used the couple's ordeal during his monologue.
"I don't know what is worse for the girl: having your boyfriend shoot you in the legs or saying the reason he did it was that he mistook you for a hog. Pretty awful."
Even the woman's Facebook page had to be taken down as a result of the many insensitive comments. Although the shooting was a painful experience, the unwanted attention took its toll.
As Lisa admitted, the harsh comments only faded because an incident in Miami involving a "zombie," allegedly high on bath salts, took over the air waves.
The good news is that Lisa never blamed her boyfriend. Despite being on full disability from her nursing job and enduring a long and painful recovery, Simmons thinks life is too precious to place blame on others.
"Take responsibility for your part of what happened. Whatever it is, don't blame the other person because a lot of things go into an accident or problem. It's not just one factor," she says.
After having shot his girlfriend, mistaken for a hog, Steve sought therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD). However, he is grateful because things could have been a whole lot worse.
Two Helena residents sentenced for fraud conspiracy
Two Helena residents sentenced for fraud conspiracy, An FBI press release dated May 3, 2013, announced that Sheryl Gillespie, 50, and Dean Austin South, 70, both residents of Helena, appeared before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen, for sentencing. They had previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud. Each were sentenced to five years probation, with a special assessment of $100 and restitution to be determined.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan R. Whittaker offered proofs at the plea hearing which would have proven the pair’s complicity to devise a scheme to obtain moneys, funds, or credits, owned by or under the custody and control of Banner Bank.
South was part owner in the Superior Propane business in Helena. Superior Propane operated as a wholesale propane company by purchasing propane directly from the refineries and selling the propane to end-users such as retail/convenience stores. Superior Propane transported the propane from the refineries to their customers, but also contracted with other companies to assist them with the transportation of the propane. Texas Propane Energy (TPE), based in Cibolo, Texas, acted as a retail distributor of propane by servicing end-use customers in the southwestern United States. TPE was one of Superior Propane’s largest customers. South was also a partner in Texas Propane Energy.
Superior Propane relied upon an approximate $7.5 million line of credit from Banner Bank to assist in meeting its expenses such as payroll and other financial obligations including operating expenses and obtaining inventory.
For Superior Propane to obtain access to the line of credit, Banner Bank required monthly reporting to them with a form called a Borrowing Base Certificate as well as an accounts receivable ledger showing Superior Propane’s receivables. Banner Bank required that a certain percentage of Superior Propane’s current receivables be tied to the line of credit before allowing future credit draws to occur. The account receivables were considered current by Banner Bank for a 90-day period. After the 90-day period, the account receivables were not included in the percentage calculation against the line of credit. Because Superior Propane’s actual account receivables would not have allowed access to the line of credit under Banner Bank’s percentage formula, South and Gillespie falsified and caused to be falsified Superior Propane’s account records, thereby allowing access to the line of credit. (FBI press release)
In order to execute and accomplish the conspiracy, SOUTH and GILLESPIE, unlawfully and without authorization, “spread” or applied account receivables that extended beyond 90 days to other customer accounts thereby reflecting the balance for these accounts as current when it fact it was not current. Consequently, Superior Propane was able to increase the amount of money, funds, and credit it could draw from Banner Bank. SOUTH directed other members of the conspiracy, including GILLESPIE, to create Excel spreadsheets reflecting materially false account receivables which were supplied monthly—and sometimes weekly—to Banner Bank. Banner Bank relied upon the representations in these spreadsheets (and other information provided by Superior Propane) when making credit and lending decisions (7thSpace.com)
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan R. Whittaker offered proofs at the plea hearing which would have proven the pair’s complicity to devise a scheme to obtain moneys, funds, or credits, owned by or under the custody and control of Banner Bank.
South was part owner in the Superior Propane business in Helena. Superior Propane operated as a wholesale propane company by purchasing propane directly from the refineries and selling the propane to end-users such as retail/convenience stores. Superior Propane transported the propane from the refineries to their customers, but also contracted with other companies to assist them with the transportation of the propane. Texas Propane Energy (TPE), based in Cibolo, Texas, acted as a retail distributor of propane by servicing end-use customers in the southwestern United States. TPE was one of Superior Propane’s largest customers. South was also a partner in Texas Propane Energy.
Superior Propane relied upon an approximate $7.5 million line of credit from Banner Bank to assist in meeting its expenses such as payroll and other financial obligations including operating expenses and obtaining inventory.
For Superior Propane to obtain access to the line of credit, Banner Bank required monthly reporting to them with a form called a Borrowing Base Certificate as well as an accounts receivable ledger showing Superior Propane’s receivables. Banner Bank required that a certain percentage of Superior Propane’s current receivables be tied to the line of credit before allowing future credit draws to occur. The account receivables were considered current by Banner Bank for a 90-day period. After the 90-day period, the account receivables were not included in the percentage calculation against the line of credit. Because Superior Propane’s actual account receivables would not have allowed access to the line of credit under Banner Bank’s percentage formula, South and Gillespie falsified and caused to be falsified Superior Propane’s account records, thereby allowing access to the line of credit. (FBI press release)
In order to execute and accomplish the conspiracy, SOUTH and GILLESPIE, unlawfully and without authorization, “spread” or applied account receivables that extended beyond 90 days to other customer accounts thereby reflecting the balance for these accounts as current when it fact it was not current. Consequently, Superior Propane was able to increase the amount of money, funds, and credit it could draw from Banner Bank. SOUTH directed other members of the conspiracy, including GILLESPIE, to create Excel spreadsheets reflecting materially false account receivables which were supplied monthly—and sometimes weekly—to Banner Bank. Banner Bank relied upon the representations in these spreadsheets (and other information provided by Superior Propane) when making credit and lending decisions (7thSpace.com)
Nazi Bride murder trial: 38-year-old involved in killing sprees?
Nazi Bride murder trial: 38-year-old involved in killing sprees?, A Nazi Bride murder trial is set to take place in Germany on Monday. On May 3, NBC News reported that Beate Zschaepe -- also known as the "Nazi Bride" -- will face charges based on her alleged involvement in several killing sprees. While some believe that she was merely involved in the plot of these attacks, others feel as though Zschaepe had a more serious role.
"I am convinced that she wasn't just an accessory or merely a companion, but was in fact acting on the same level as the others," said German federal prosecutor Wolfgang Range.
The Nazi Bride murder trial is significant because Beate Zschaepe is the last surviving member of the National Socialist Underground. Many of those involved were either killed or took their own lives and most have not faced any consequences, If Zschaepe is convicted, she will represent all women involved in these murders -- and that number is expected to grow.
"Zschaepe's case will spotlight the increasingly prominent role that women are playing in the neo-Nazi scene. In particular, they have been gaining influence in German far-right politics. Statistics suggest nearly 20 percent of executives in Germany's extremist NPD party are women, which is a higher percentage than in many smaller mainstream parties," NBC News reports.
The Nazi Bride murder trial could take months but if Beate Zschaepe is convicted, she faces life in prison.
© Effie Orfanides 2013
"I am convinced that she wasn't just an accessory or merely a companion, but was in fact acting on the same level as the others," said German federal prosecutor Wolfgang Range.
The Nazi Bride murder trial is significant because Beate Zschaepe is the last surviving member of the National Socialist Underground. Many of those involved were either killed or took their own lives and most have not faced any consequences, If Zschaepe is convicted, she will represent all women involved in these murders -- and that number is expected to grow.
"Zschaepe's case will spotlight the increasingly prominent role that women are playing in the neo-Nazi scene. In particular, they have been gaining influence in German far-right politics. Statistics suggest nearly 20 percent of executives in Germany's extremist NPD party are women, which is a higher percentage than in many smaller mainstream parties," NBC News reports.
The Nazi Bride murder trial could take months but if Beate Zschaepe is convicted, she faces life in prison.
© Effie Orfanides 2013
QR code labeling system hijacked by scammers
QR code labeling system hijacked by scammers, QR codes are being used as a quick and reliable way to pass information. The once-ubiquitous barcode is being challenged by a collection of blobs and dots that cannot be read by the human eye, but that handle far more data. QR codes have gained in popularity over the past two years as smartphone scanning apps have become a “must have.” The codes are easy to create and are flexible enough to include anything from text to a website address to contact information and more.
Because QR codes are easy to create, they can also be used by scammers to take unsuspecting consumers to fraudulent websites. And, because mobile devices are capable of downloading files, the codes may also be used to download malware that can be used to steal personal information or perpetrate scams.
From manufacturers and advertisers to public transportation, QR codes may be used anywhere there might be people, including billboards in public places like airports, train stations and bus depots, on displays in stores or advertisements, etc.
As always, caution will help protect you from the scammers. Here are a few tips:
Be cautious when scanning codes in public places. Be sure the code appears to be there for a legitimate purpose and run your finger over the code. If it’s a pasted-on sticker, don’t scan it.
Use a scanner app that checks the website before taking you there. There are many QR code readers available, but only a few that actually check the URL of a site. Norton and McAfee both have apps that handle this.
If you scan a code and find yourself on a web page that asks for confidential information such as a password, even if the site appears to be legitimate, don't key the information in.
If you want to get more information about these codes, take a look at the CNet article How to protect your smartphone from malicious QR codes or the Scambusters.org article, 5 Ways to Avoid a QR Code Scam.
In addition to his columns on Examiner.com, Terry Ambrose (www.terryambrose.com) also writes mysteries and suspense. In a review of his latest novel, the San Francisco Book Review said, “On all levels License to Lie justifiably earned this five star rating!”
Because QR codes are easy to create, they can also be used by scammers to take unsuspecting consumers to fraudulent websites. And, because mobile devices are capable of downloading files, the codes may also be used to download malware that can be used to steal personal information or perpetrate scams.
From manufacturers and advertisers to public transportation, QR codes may be used anywhere there might be people, including billboards in public places like airports, train stations and bus depots, on displays in stores or advertisements, etc.
As always, caution will help protect you from the scammers. Here are a few tips:
Be cautious when scanning codes in public places. Be sure the code appears to be there for a legitimate purpose and run your finger over the code. If it’s a pasted-on sticker, don’t scan it.
Use a scanner app that checks the website before taking you there. There are many QR code readers available, but only a few that actually check the URL of a site. Norton and McAfee both have apps that handle this.
If you scan a code and find yourself on a web page that asks for confidential information such as a password, even if the site appears to be legitimate, don't key the information in.
If you want to get more information about these codes, take a look at the CNet article How to protect your smartphone from malicious QR codes or the Scambusters.org article, 5 Ways to Avoid a QR Code Scam.
In addition to his columns on Examiner.com, Terry Ambrose (www.terryambrose.com) also writes mysteries and suspense. In a review of his latest novel, the San Francisco Book Review said, “On all levels License to Lie justifiably earned this five star rating!”
Wall Street reports a $203 million loss for Rush Limbaugh, Clear Channel
Wall Street reports a $203 million loss for Rush Limbaugh, Clear Channel, Clear Channel, Rush Limbaugh's parent company, reported first quarter losses that had to be excruciatingly painful. The controversial, often infuriating cabal reported a loss of $203 million compared to last year's loss of $143.6 million. One clue to Clear Channel's troubles is a nationwide boycott of Limbaugh's sponsors. That boycott began early last year after Limbaugh called a college student a "slut" and a "prostitute." According to a May 3 Daily Kos article, Clear Channel's revenue fell 1.3 percent to $1.34 billion. Revenue from the company's media and entertainment division was down 2.2 percent. Operating expenses dropped 3.5 percent. Here is another connection: Bain Capital, LLC uses Clear Channel Media as a vehicle.
Sharp pains resulted when the public had enough of Limbaugh's blatant racism, sexism, gay-hatred and bigotry that went out over 600 affiliated radio stations. Many opponents went after the sponsors, identifying and shaming them out of their lucrative arrangements with Clear Channel and Limbaugh. Two very large systems, StopRush and the ThinkContext browser extension were set up to enable millions who identify Limbaugh's sponsors and encourage others to stop buying from them.
Many radio listeners migrated away from the AM/FM dials since Limbaugh crossed the line. This was devastating to Clear Channel's right-wing friendly business plan. Clear Channel is in massive debt and a May 3 Moody's report indicates that a CSO note including Clear Channel was downgraded.
After Limbaugh's attack on college student Sandra Fluke, activists forced about 100 sponsors to abandon him. Fluke was the Georgetown law student who testified to convince Congress to mandate contraception coverage in health insurance plans. Limbaugh was captured on this YouTube video saying that Fluke must be paid to have sex and then calling her a slut and a prostitute. The incident triggered an instant, enormous response that has never let up.
A March 16 Media matters report described the Fluke incident as an immediate problem for Limbaugh's flagship station, WABC in New York. The article said, "Limbaugh's show had been stripped of key advertisers. Instead, the once robust revenue-generating program had turned into a feel-good forum where during commercial breaks WABC ran nonpaid public service announcements on behalf of the United Negro College Fund and New York Office of Emergency Management. That's because WABC didn't feel comfortable putting lots of advertisers on Limbaugh's show, which up and down Madison Avenue had become poisonous in this wake of his misogynistic Fluke debacle."
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Limbaugh is worth $350 million and receives an annual salary of $40 million. Limbaugh is now a majority owner of his radio show and he attracts over 14 million listeners per week. He once reached a peak of 20 million listeners in 2003. In 2008, Limbaugh hit the motherlode, snagging a $400 million, eight-year contract with Clear Channel. This means that Clear Channel has to come up with $400 million in the face of declining sponsor revenue and downgraded credit.
Sharp pains resulted when the public had enough of Limbaugh's blatant racism, sexism, gay-hatred and bigotry that went out over 600 affiliated radio stations. Many opponents went after the sponsors, identifying and shaming them out of their lucrative arrangements with Clear Channel and Limbaugh. Two very large systems, StopRush and the ThinkContext browser extension were set up to enable millions who identify Limbaugh's sponsors and encourage others to stop buying from them.
Many radio listeners migrated away from the AM/FM dials since Limbaugh crossed the line. This was devastating to Clear Channel's right-wing friendly business plan. Clear Channel is in massive debt and a May 3 Moody's report indicates that a CSO note including Clear Channel was downgraded.
After Limbaugh's attack on college student Sandra Fluke, activists forced about 100 sponsors to abandon him. Fluke was the Georgetown law student who testified to convince Congress to mandate contraception coverage in health insurance plans. Limbaugh was captured on this YouTube video saying that Fluke must be paid to have sex and then calling her a slut and a prostitute. The incident triggered an instant, enormous response that has never let up.
A March 16 Media matters report described the Fluke incident as an immediate problem for Limbaugh's flagship station, WABC in New York. The article said, "Limbaugh's show had been stripped of key advertisers. Instead, the once robust revenue-generating program had turned into a feel-good forum where during commercial breaks WABC ran nonpaid public service announcements on behalf of the United Negro College Fund and New York Office of Emergency Management. That's because WABC didn't feel comfortable putting lots of advertisers on Limbaugh's show, which up and down Madison Avenue had become poisonous in this wake of his misogynistic Fluke debacle."
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Limbaugh is worth $350 million and receives an annual salary of $40 million. Limbaugh is now a majority owner of his radio show and he attracts over 14 million listeners per week. He once reached a peak of 20 million listeners in 2003. In 2008, Limbaugh hit the motherlode, snagging a $400 million, eight-year contract with Clear Channel. This means that Clear Channel has to come up with $400 million in the face of declining sponsor revenue and downgraded credit.
Read transcripts from Jodi Arias trial closing arguments, videos
Read transcripts from Jodi Arias trial closing arguments, videos, On May 2, 2013, Judge Sherry Stephens read jury instructions to the jury who has long awaited the chance to deliberate on the verdict regarding the fate of Jodi Arias. Arias faces everything from manslaughter to first-degree murder with a possible death sentence for the June 4, 2008, slaying and shooting of her lover Travis Alexander.
The case has been a mixture of two young, good looking Mormons who had a raunchy, sex-life, combined with secrecy, plenty of lies and one of the most gruesome murders that will go down in history.
Arias surprised all when she not only took the stand, but carefully looked the jury members in the eye as she detailed countless sex escapades that were so illicit, they had to be bleeped off television screens and live news casts nationwide.
Sometimes Jodi Arias' testimony became so elaborately detailed, that they overshadowed the importance and purpose of the trial: The murder of Travis Alexander.
Travis Alexander was found naked, curled up in the fetal position in his shower stall on June 9, 2008. His body had begun to decompose, his throat had been cut nearly from ear to ear, to the point he was almost decapitated.
Blood was splattered in his bathroom sink, smeared in the hallway and found in his master bedroom. In the midst of the bloody, crime scene, a sole hand print was found mixed in the blood on a wall.
In addition to 29 stab wounds including multiple wounds to Travis Alexander's back, chest and defensive wounds to his hands, showing he tried to fight off his killer, he had been shot in the head.
Though blood had been found at the crime scene, Travis Alexander's body had been washed off after being moved to the shower stall.
Exactly what transpired on June 4, 2008, was little known, until crime scene investigators discovered a digital camera that had recent images deleted in Travis Alexander's washing machine. Inside the machine, investigators found Travis Alexander's clothing, sheets, a towel and the camera.
Forensic experts retrieved photos from the camera and to their surprise, luck and amazement, they not only had a timeline of the murderous events that transpired, but they had photos of Travis Alexander's killer: Jodi Arias.
Jodi Arias and Travis Alexander had taken nude photos of each other. These pictures were released as evidence during the Jodi Arias trial that began on Jan. 2, 2013.
In addition to the nude photos were pictures of Travis Alexander taking a shower. The photo timeline shows Travis in the shower, then what appears to be the camera on the floor as there is a picture of the ceiling. Next, there is a photo of Travis Alexander's body slumped on the shower floor with blood beginning to pool under his body. More photos showed Jodi Arias' foot and pant leg as she dragged Travis Alexander's body across the floor.
In all, authorities confirmed the murder occurred within a three-minute time frame.
Once authorities had the crime scene documented in photos and time-stamped proof that Jodi Arias was in Travis Alexander's home the day of his murder (and proof that it was her bloody, palm print found on the wall) they called her in for questioning.
Jodi Arias first denied she was at Travis Alexander's home on June 4. When she learned that police knew she was there, she changed her story and stated that ninjas had broke in and attacked Travis Alexander, while she managed to get away.
Finally, Jodi Arias stated she killed Travis Alexander because she was forced to. She looked at the jury from the witness stand and said she had to kill him in self-defense.
What added even more drama to what was already shaping up to be a bizarre case, was that Jodi Arias began to speak to the media. In fact, she granted an interview to Inside Edition where she said, "No jury will convict me. I'm innocent."
Jodi Arias spoke from the witness stand and admitted that she had lied. Not only had she lied, but she said she lied so much she couldn't keep her lies straight.
The prosecution, led by Juan Martinez, argued that Jodi Arias was a jilted lover, who though she moved away from Travis Alexander in May 2008, planned to murder him after he let her know in no uncertain terms that he thought she was evil and wanted nothing else to do with her. He argued that there was proof Jodi Arias premeditated and planned to murder Travis Alexander on June 4, 2008, beginning with a staged incident where her grandparents' gun was stolen, borrowing two gas cans and purchasing a third in order to avoid buying gas in Travis Alexander's hometown of Mesa, Arizona and renting a car away from her home. She was stopped for driving with an upside down license plate that was argued to have been an attempt to avoid detection.
The murder weapons used in the crime were never found. It has never been proved that the gun stolen from Jodi Arias' grandparents was the same gun used to shoot Travis Alexander in the head. The knife Jodi Arias used to repeatedly stab Travis Alexander has never been recovered. The gas cans Juan Martinez says prove premeditation are also missing, along with the bloody clothes that Jodi Arias wore that fateful day.
The defense, led by Kirk Nurmi and Jennifer Willmott countered that Jodi Arias was a victim of domestic abuse and killed Travis Alexander after he threatened her life and put the fear of imminent death in her because she dropped his camera.
The defense stated during closing arguments that if Jodi Arias was as smart as the prosecution alleged, she would have done a better job planning Travis Alexander's murder. They also stated that she was hardly his stalker because she had moved away from Mesa, Arizona to Yreka, California the month prior to his murder.
Also, the defense argued that Travis Alexander wasn't truly in fear of Jodi Arias because when she arrived at his home, he let her in, slept with her, and took naked pictures of her. The time stamp on the photos proved that Arias had been there for hours before the murder occurred. They stated it would have been much easier for her to come to his home and kill him in his sleep, rather than having sex with him, taking photos with him, then killing him in the shower. The criminal defense team also argued that Jodi Arias would have never left the paper trail that followed or tell people her plans to go to Mesa, Arizona, if her intent was to murder Travis Alexander.
You may read the transcripts for both the prosecution's and defense's closing arguments in the Jodi Arias trial along with full videos from jury instructions and closing arguments to prosecutor Juan Martinez' final rebuttal in the links below.
The case is now on verdict watch and deliberations will resume on Monday, May 6, 2013.
Jodi Arias could receive an acquittal on grounds of self-defense, a minimum of seven years for manslaughter, 10 years or more for a felony, murder conviction or the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder.
Transcripts: Jodi Arias Trial Closing Arguments Prosecution and Defense
Jodi Arias Trial Video Archive from Jan. 2, 2013 - May 4, 2013
Warning! Graphic Autopsy Photos of Travis Alexander and Jodi Arias Nude (crime scene photos)
The case has been a mixture of two young, good looking Mormons who had a raunchy, sex-life, combined with secrecy, plenty of lies and one of the most gruesome murders that will go down in history.
Arias surprised all when she not only took the stand, but carefully looked the jury members in the eye as she detailed countless sex escapades that were so illicit, they had to be bleeped off television screens and live news casts nationwide.
Sometimes Jodi Arias' testimony became so elaborately detailed, that they overshadowed the importance and purpose of the trial: The murder of Travis Alexander.
Travis Alexander was found naked, curled up in the fetal position in his shower stall on June 9, 2008. His body had begun to decompose, his throat had been cut nearly from ear to ear, to the point he was almost decapitated.
Blood was splattered in his bathroom sink, smeared in the hallway and found in his master bedroom. In the midst of the bloody, crime scene, a sole hand print was found mixed in the blood on a wall.
In addition to 29 stab wounds including multiple wounds to Travis Alexander's back, chest and defensive wounds to his hands, showing he tried to fight off his killer, he had been shot in the head.
Though blood had been found at the crime scene, Travis Alexander's body had been washed off after being moved to the shower stall.
Exactly what transpired on June 4, 2008, was little known, until crime scene investigators discovered a digital camera that had recent images deleted in Travis Alexander's washing machine. Inside the machine, investigators found Travis Alexander's clothing, sheets, a towel and the camera.
Forensic experts retrieved photos from the camera and to their surprise, luck and amazement, they not only had a timeline of the murderous events that transpired, but they had photos of Travis Alexander's killer: Jodi Arias.
Jodi Arias and Travis Alexander had taken nude photos of each other. These pictures were released as evidence during the Jodi Arias trial that began on Jan. 2, 2013.
In addition to the nude photos were pictures of Travis Alexander taking a shower. The photo timeline shows Travis in the shower, then what appears to be the camera on the floor as there is a picture of the ceiling. Next, there is a photo of Travis Alexander's body slumped on the shower floor with blood beginning to pool under his body. More photos showed Jodi Arias' foot and pant leg as she dragged Travis Alexander's body across the floor.
In all, authorities confirmed the murder occurred within a three-minute time frame.
Once authorities had the crime scene documented in photos and time-stamped proof that Jodi Arias was in Travis Alexander's home the day of his murder (and proof that it was her bloody, palm print found on the wall) they called her in for questioning.
Jodi Arias first denied she was at Travis Alexander's home on June 4. When she learned that police knew she was there, she changed her story and stated that ninjas had broke in and attacked Travis Alexander, while she managed to get away.
Finally, Jodi Arias stated she killed Travis Alexander because she was forced to. She looked at the jury from the witness stand and said she had to kill him in self-defense.
What added even more drama to what was already shaping up to be a bizarre case, was that Jodi Arias began to speak to the media. In fact, she granted an interview to Inside Edition where she said, "No jury will convict me. I'm innocent."
Jodi Arias spoke from the witness stand and admitted that she had lied. Not only had she lied, but she said she lied so much she couldn't keep her lies straight.
The prosecution, led by Juan Martinez, argued that Jodi Arias was a jilted lover, who though she moved away from Travis Alexander in May 2008, planned to murder him after he let her know in no uncertain terms that he thought she was evil and wanted nothing else to do with her. He argued that there was proof Jodi Arias premeditated and planned to murder Travis Alexander on June 4, 2008, beginning with a staged incident where her grandparents' gun was stolen, borrowing two gas cans and purchasing a third in order to avoid buying gas in Travis Alexander's hometown of Mesa, Arizona and renting a car away from her home. She was stopped for driving with an upside down license plate that was argued to have been an attempt to avoid detection.
The murder weapons used in the crime were never found. It has never been proved that the gun stolen from Jodi Arias' grandparents was the same gun used to shoot Travis Alexander in the head. The knife Jodi Arias used to repeatedly stab Travis Alexander has never been recovered. The gas cans Juan Martinez says prove premeditation are also missing, along with the bloody clothes that Jodi Arias wore that fateful day.
The defense, led by Kirk Nurmi and Jennifer Willmott countered that Jodi Arias was a victim of domestic abuse and killed Travis Alexander after he threatened her life and put the fear of imminent death in her because she dropped his camera.
The defense stated during closing arguments that if Jodi Arias was as smart as the prosecution alleged, she would have done a better job planning Travis Alexander's murder. They also stated that she was hardly his stalker because she had moved away from Mesa, Arizona to Yreka, California the month prior to his murder.
Also, the defense argued that Travis Alexander wasn't truly in fear of Jodi Arias because when she arrived at his home, he let her in, slept with her, and took naked pictures of her. The time stamp on the photos proved that Arias had been there for hours before the murder occurred. They stated it would have been much easier for her to come to his home and kill him in his sleep, rather than having sex with him, taking photos with him, then killing him in the shower. The criminal defense team also argued that Jodi Arias would have never left the paper trail that followed or tell people her plans to go to Mesa, Arizona, if her intent was to murder Travis Alexander.
You may read the transcripts for both the prosecution's and defense's closing arguments in the Jodi Arias trial along with full videos from jury instructions and closing arguments to prosecutor Juan Martinez' final rebuttal in the links below.
The case is now on verdict watch and deliberations will resume on Monday, May 6, 2013.
Jodi Arias could receive an acquittal on grounds of self-defense, a minimum of seven years for manslaughter, 10 years or more for a felony, murder conviction or the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder.
Transcripts: Jodi Arias Trial Closing Arguments Prosecution and Defense
Jodi Arias Trial Video Archive from Jan. 2, 2013 - May 4, 2013
Warning! Graphic Autopsy Photos of Travis Alexander and Jodi Arias Nude (crime scene photos)
Radioactive Goldfish Smuggled Into Ohio Nuclear Power Plant
Radioactive Goldfish Smuggled Into Ohio Nuclear Power Plant, Radioactive goldfish placidly swimming in a lemonade pitcher in a secure area of Perry Nuclear Power Plant near Cleveland, Ohio? It might have seemed like a harmless prank at the time, but the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said that the stunt is no joke.
The two goldfish were first discovered by power plant workers earlier in the week. The First Energy-owned plant had been shut down for 43 days for maintenance when they found the pitcher in a supposedly secure steam tunnel.
First Energy Todd Schneider said that the fish were found alive in the admittedly slightly radioactive water. They died shortly thereafter.
“The water did not kill the fish, but they were not well taken care of and they died later,” Schneider said. The 1-1/2 inch long radioactive goldfish had both expired by early Thursday morning.
As far as the company is concerned, the joke is more than just a cruel prank. Because the area where they were found is restricted to people who hold a special pass, First Energy must now answer to the NRC to explain who could have pulled off the stunt.
The Plain Dealer’s John Funk explained: “Getting into the Perry nuclear power plant is supposed to be more difficult than breaking out of a prison. Investigators want to know who brought two goldfish to work and put them in a restricted area.”
Bringing in the two fish and leaving them to die in the radioactive water is mean-spirited. But the ability to bring contraband in and out of the plant could also lead to a threat to human health.
Perry Power Plant spokeswoman Jennifer Young said that it’s currently believed that the fish walked in the door in a plastic bag similar to what you get when you buy feeder fish at the pet store. All employees are screened by a metal detector when they enter the plant, but they’re not patted down or checked with body scans.
Young said that the company is in the process of reviewing video records to see who actually placed the fish in the steam tunnel.
NRC spokeswoman Viktoria Mitlyng said that it wasn’t a laughing matter and that they would be closely following the nuclear power plant’s investigation.
In 2011, four contractors were accidentally exposed to hard radiation, causing the NRC to order improvements in the plant’s training and procedures. In a tightly run operation, there’s no place for radioactive goldfish jokes.
The two goldfish were first discovered by power plant workers earlier in the week. The First Energy-owned plant had been shut down for 43 days for maintenance when they found the pitcher in a supposedly secure steam tunnel.
First Energy Todd Schneider said that the fish were found alive in the admittedly slightly radioactive water. They died shortly thereafter.
“The water did not kill the fish, but they were not well taken care of and they died later,” Schneider said. The 1-1/2 inch long radioactive goldfish had both expired by early Thursday morning.
As far as the company is concerned, the joke is more than just a cruel prank. Because the area where they were found is restricted to people who hold a special pass, First Energy must now answer to the NRC to explain who could have pulled off the stunt.
The Plain Dealer’s John Funk explained: “Getting into the Perry nuclear power plant is supposed to be more difficult than breaking out of a prison. Investigators want to know who brought two goldfish to work and put them in a restricted area.”
Bringing in the two fish and leaving them to die in the radioactive water is mean-spirited. But the ability to bring contraband in and out of the plant could also lead to a threat to human health.
Perry Power Plant spokeswoman Jennifer Young said that it’s currently believed that the fish walked in the door in a plastic bag similar to what you get when you buy feeder fish at the pet store. All employees are screened by a metal detector when they enter the plant, but they’re not patted down or checked with body scans.
Young said that the company is in the process of reviewing video records to see who actually placed the fish in the steam tunnel.
NRC spokeswoman Viktoria Mitlyng said that it wasn’t a laughing matter and that they would be closely following the nuclear power plant’s investigation.
In 2011, four contractors were accidentally exposed to hard radiation, causing the NRC to order improvements in the plant’s training and procedures. In a tightly run operation, there’s no place for radioactive goldfish jokes.
Guys Writes Epic 750-Word Pitch For Bike He’s Selling On Craigslist
Guys Writes Epic 750-Word Pitch For Bike He’s Selling On Craigslist, One of the most epic and entertaining Craigslist ads we’ve seen in a long time was written with love and sentiment by New York cyclist Ryan, who is looking to get rid of his bike. He put it up on Craigs with a lengthy 750-word testimonial of why his bike is awesome, and why you should buy it.
“What makes this bike so much better than every other bike that has ever been pedaled? Glad you asked. It starts with the paint scheme. It looks like Iron Man if Iron Man were a bike. That’s bold, son. Curb appeal. It’s probably also why some piece of trash stole the front tire that originally came with this beauty. Why didn’t he steal the whole bike? Because he knew he wasn’t man enough. That’s ok, I replaced it with something that looks even more boss.”
Digging through the epic thread reveals that the bike is a 2010 Felt Gridloc 3-speed fixed gear bike, and it can be yours for $700. I don’t know that much about bikes myself, but anyone turned off by the asking price may reconsider in light of the epic description.
“It offers 3 speeds, as the name implies. It also offers a terrific chance to introduce that dome of yours to the asphalt if you f—ing sleep for one single second on this b—-. So don’t trip. Ride safe. Get a helmet and if you’ve never ridden a fixed gear bike, maybe it’s time to move along, young sir because this back tire doesn’t flip flop and it doesn’t offer any respite.”
Unfortunately for Ryan, his bike ad has been flagged for removal by the Craigslist community, though it is unclear why. Craigslist ads can be flagged positively or negatively.
“What makes this bike so much better than every other bike that has ever been pedaled? Glad you asked. It starts with the paint scheme. It looks like Iron Man if Iron Man were a bike. That’s bold, son. Curb appeal. It’s probably also why some piece of trash stole the front tire that originally came with this beauty. Why didn’t he steal the whole bike? Because he knew he wasn’t man enough. That’s ok, I replaced it with something that looks even more boss.”
Digging through the epic thread reveals that the bike is a 2010 Felt Gridloc 3-speed fixed gear bike, and it can be yours for $700. I don’t know that much about bikes myself, but anyone turned off by the asking price may reconsider in light of the epic description.
“It offers 3 speeds, as the name implies. It also offers a terrific chance to introduce that dome of yours to the asphalt if you f—ing sleep for one single second on this b—-. So don’t trip. Ride safe. Get a helmet and if you’ve never ridden a fixed gear bike, maybe it’s time to move along, young sir because this back tire doesn’t flip flop and it doesn’t offer any respite.”
Unfortunately for Ryan, his bike ad has been flagged for removal by the Craigslist community, though it is unclear why. Craigslist ads can be flagged positively or negatively.
Boston Cemeteries Won’t Touch Tamerlan Tsarnaev Burial
Boston Cemeteries Won’t Touch Tamerlan Tsarnaev Burial, Boston, MA – Bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev is having a hard time finding his final rest. A funeral home director is reportedly scrambling to find a cemetery to bury the slain 26-year-old in, but everyone is turning him down.
Worcester funeral home owner Peter Stefan has Tsarnaev’s body as well as the official death certificate, which has not yet been made public.
Stefan read from it on Friday, though it seemed not to hold many surprises. It confirmed that Tsarnaev died from his wounds sustained in a gunfight with authorities, and from being dragged under a vehicle as his brother Dzhokhar, fled police.
Tsarnaev’s body was released by the state medical examiner on Thursday, after laying there unclaimed for nearly two weeks. The body wound up at Stefan’s Graham Putnam and Mahoney Funeral Parlors, with current plans to submit it to a secondary, independent autopsy requested by relatives.
But Stefan’s biggest problem is finding a place to bury Tsarnaev, and he has considered turning to the government to find him a piece of land.
“My problem here is trying to find a gravesite. A lot of people don’t want to do it. They don’t want to be involved with this,” Stefan said. “I keep bringing up the point of Lee Harvey Oswald, Timothy McVeigh or Ted Bundy. Somebody had to do those, too.”
Three cemeteries have turned him down so far due to fear or reprisal.
There’s a fear there,” he says. ”Will people want to go to the cemetery, or will people be upset that somebody who’s a terrorist will be buried next to their Uncle Freddy.”
Stefan is experiencing reprisal of his own, with protesters gathering outside his business, upset that he has chosen to bury Tsarnaev. But it doesn’t matter, he says.
“This is what we do in a civilized society, regardless of the circumstances,” Stefan said. “As I told some of them, at the immediate moment you may fear (reprisal), but later on, when things calm down, people are going to resent you because you didn’t do it.”
What do you think should be done with Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s body?
Worcester funeral home owner Peter Stefan has Tsarnaev’s body as well as the official death certificate, which has not yet been made public.
Stefan read from it on Friday, though it seemed not to hold many surprises. It confirmed that Tsarnaev died from his wounds sustained in a gunfight with authorities, and from being dragged under a vehicle as his brother Dzhokhar, fled police.
Tsarnaev’s body was released by the state medical examiner on Thursday, after laying there unclaimed for nearly two weeks. The body wound up at Stefan’s Graham Putnam and Mahoney Funeral Parlors, with current plans to submit it to a secondary, independent autopsy requested by relatives.
But Stefan’s biggest problem is finding a place to bury Tsarnaev, and he has considered turning to the government to find him a piece of land.
“My problem here is trying to find a gravesite. A lot of people don’t want to do it. They don’t want to be involved with this,” Stefan said. “I keep bringing up the point of Lee Harvey Oswald, Timothy McVeigh or Ted Bundy. Somebody had to do those, too.”
Three cemeteries have turned him down so far due to fear or reprisal.
There’s a fear there,” he says. ”Will people want to go to the cemetery, or will people be upset that somebody who’s a terrorist will be buried next to their Uncle Freddy.”
Stefan is experiencing reprisal of his own, with protesters gathering outside his business, upset that he has chosen to bury Tsarnaev. But it doesn’t matter, he says.
“This is what we do in a civilized society, regardless of the circumstances,” Stefan said. “As I told some of them, at the immediate moment you may fear (reprisal), but later on, when things calm down, people are going to resent you because you didn’t do it.”
What do you think should be done with Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s body?
Shot girlfriend mistaken for hog
Shot girlfriend mistaken for hog, A hunter who shot his girlfriend after she was mistaken for a hog says he’s a lucky man.
It was one year ago that Steve Egan was hunting in the woods of Flagler County in Florida. He spotted a wounded hog on its back about 30 yards away. Thinking it was the same hog he shot minutes before, Egan raised his rifle and fired a single shot with a .30-caliber bullet.
It was a direct hit, but the hunter forgot the first rule of shooting — always know your target. Egan had actually shot his girlfriend, who he had mistaken for the hog.
The injury was very serious at the time. Lisa Simmons, a 51-year-old nurse who had worked with heart doctors for 18 years, could see blood pumping from the femoral artery in her leg.
Determined not to die in the forest after being mistaken for a hog, Egan’s girlfriend fashioned a tourniquet and held it while he rushed back to get a cell phone and call 911.
By the time a medical helicopter arrived to save Simmons she was losing consciousness and spilling blood rapidly. In all she would need 14 pints of blood, and during surgery she died twice. Her surgeon said it was the worst non-combat injury he’d ever seen someone survive.
Egan said he felt lucky that his girlfriend lived, but the ordeal wasn’t over yet.
The story soon became a national punchline, with headlines that shouted Shot Girlfriend Mistaken For Hog. Jay Leno picked up on the story, quipping: “I don’t know what is worse for the girl: having your boyfriend shoot you in the legs or saying the reason he did it was that he mistook you for a hog. Pretty awful.”
The attention grew so bad that Egan and Simmons deleted her Facebook page.
Egan said the story finally went away after a few days when a man high on bath salts ate off the face of a homeless man.
Despite the trauma they went through, the man who shot his girlfriend after she was mistaken for a hog said their relationship remains strong and she harbors no ill feelings toward him. Egan has helped Simmons through her year of rehabilitation, and she is taking classes to become a nursing instructor.
It was one year ago that Steve Egan was hunting in the woods of Flagler County in Florida. He spotted a wounded hog on its back about 30 yards away. Thinking it was the same hog he shot minutes before, Egan raised his rifle and fired a single shot with a .30-caliber bullet.
It was a direct hit, but the hunter forgot the first rule of shooting — always know your target. Egan had actually shot his girlfriend, who he had mistaken for the hog.
The injury was very serious at the time. Lisa Simmons, a 51-year-old nurse who had worked with heart doctors for 18 years, could see blood pumping from the femoral artery in her leg.
Determined not to die in the forest after being mistaken for a hog, Egan’s girlfriend fashioned a tourniquet and held it while he rushed back to get a cell phone and call 911.
By the time a medical helicopter arrived to save Simmons she was losing consciousness and spilling blood rapidly. In all she would need 14 pints of blood, and during surgery she died twice. Her surgeon said it was the worst non-combat injury he’d ever seen someone survive.
Egan said he felt lucky that his girlfriend lived, but the ordeal wasn’t over yet.
The story soon became a national punchline, with headlines that shouted Shot Girlfriend Mistaken For Hog. Jay Leno picked up on the story, quipping: “I don’t know what is worse for the girl: having your boyfriend shoot you in the legs or saying the reason he did it was that he mistook you for a hog. Pretty awful.”
The attention grew so bad that Egan and Simmons deleted her Facebook page.
Egan said the story finally went away after a few days when a man high on bath salts ate off the face of a homeless man.
Despite the trauma they went through, the man who shot his girlfriend after she was mistaken for a hog said their relationship remains strong and she harbors no ill feelings toward him. Egan has helped Simmons through her year of rehabilitation, and she is taking classes to become a nursing instructor.
Guantanamo yearly cost
Guantanamo yearly cost, For the men and women involved in running the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, it must have been disconcerting, to say the least, to have heard their Commander-in-Chief share his personal views on their little corner of Cuba quite so bluntly.
“Guantanamois not necessary to keepAmericasafe,” he said last Tuesday. “It is expensive. It is inefficient. It hurts us in terms of our international standing. It lessens cooperation with our allies on counter-terrorism efforts. It is a recruitment tool for extremists. It needs to be closed.”
And so it does; but the fact that it remains open five years after Barack Obama promised to shut it down is a testament both to the scale of the legal and moral morass it represents and the president’s own persistent inability to translate his fine words into action. It is now eight years since the use of torture and orange jump-suits was ended atGuantanamo, but the hunger strikes that appear to have pricked Obama into having another push to shut the camp are a reminder of what went before.
Reports fromGuantanamo, where 100 of the 166 detainees are on hunger strike, give a terrible, physical expression to what Red Cross monitors have described as the “unprecedented” levels of desperation among those who are being held in limbo, indefinitely, without trial or charge.
The situation is so serious that the US Navy has had to send an extra 40 medical personnel to help strap inmates into restraining chairs, insert tubes into their nostrils and then down into shrivelled stomachs so bags of nutritional supplement can be forcibly administered. This, as Obama rightly senses, is a grim humiliation for the US, which now finds itself forced to violate medical ethics to save lives it does not know what to do with. It “is not going to get better”, said the president. “It’s going to get worse. It’s going to fester.”
And while Obama did not create this suppurating wound, he is not blameless for failing to close it. As in so many other areas, he has been weak. It is true that Congress has blocked the use of federal courts and prisons for Guantanamo detainees, but there are other options which — largely out of political cowardice — the president has shied away from using. There are 166 detainees in Guantanamo, of which up to 16 are “high-value detainees” who were sent in from CIA black sites; 86, meanwhile, have been cleared for release and the status of the remainder is (for no good reason) classified.
The vast majority of these are not hardened terrorists. Indeed, many are like Mohamedou Ould Slahi, a Mauritanian who has just published a terrifying memoir of his treatment in the facility. As long ago as 2007 it was determined there was no evidence to try him on and yet six years later, he remains in a cage there. Obama could use his waiver powers to order the release of many of these “cleared” detainees if the department of defence did not classify them as a security risk, say lawyers who work at Guantanamo.
But he has chosen not to, presumably for fear that they may reoffend — a risk the US public is not prepared to accept. So defeated is Obama that the head of the state department’s own department for resettling Guantanamo detainees was reassigned this year and not replaced: It is not just the detainees who appeared to have abandoned all hope. Now, having declaring this fresh start, Obama must appoint a significant White House figure with orders to get these repatriations moving and begin to reverse the terrible damage done.
It is true that Congress will almost certainly not allow the high-value detainees, including the 9/11 accused, to be transferred to and tried in the federal courts system, but after four years of procrastination a start is overdue.
This must be the beginning of a full reckoning on the use of torture that includes the publication of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s 6,000-page report on the post-9/11 CIA interrogation and detention programme. More than just the “war on terror” is at stake here — at a time of global upheaval, everything Americans aspire to believe in is on the line. When China tortures its dissidents, its officials only need one word to see off America or Europe when Americans speak of their belief in universal values: “Guantanamo”.
And time is short for Obama to seize and secure a legacy on this. It is worth remembering that Mitt Romney’s transition-team advisers wrote him a memo strongly advising that he “rescind and replace” Obama’s 2009 executive order banning the use of torture. There remains no federal statute that would have prevented a ‘President Romney’ from turning back the clock and to listen to Condoleezza Rice defending George W. Bush’s decision to authorise the use of torture, at the opening of his presidential library last week, no reason to expect that could not happen. It is time to act.
“Guantanamois not necessary to keepAmericasafe,” he said last Tuesday. “It is expensive. It is inefficient. It hurts us in terms of our international standing. It lessens cooperation with our allies on counter-terrorism efforts. It is a recruitment tool for extremists. It needs to be closed.”
And so it does; but the fact that it remains open five years after Barack Obama promised to shut it down is a testament both to the scale of the legal and moral morass it represents and the president’s own persistent inability to translate his fine words into action. It is now eight years since the use of torture and orange jump-suits was ended atGuantanamo, but the hunger strikes that appear to have pricked Obama into having another push to shut the camp are a reminder of what went before.
Reports fromGuantanamo, where 100 of the 166 detainees are on hunger strike, give a terrible, physical expression to what Red Cross monitors have described as the “unprecedented” levels of desperation among those who are being held in limbo, indefinitely, without trial or charge.
The situation is so serious that the US Navy has had to send an extra 40 medical personnel to help strap inmates into restraining chairs, insert tubes into their nostrils and then down into shrivelled stomachs so bags of nutritional supplement can be forcibly administered. This, as Obama rightly senses, is a grim humiliation for the US, which now finds itself forced to violate medical ethics to save lives it does not know what to do with. It “is not going to get better”, said the president. “It’s going to get worse. It’s going to fester.”
And while Obama did not create this suppurating wound, he is not blameless for failing to close it. As in so many other areas, he has been weak. It is true that Congress has blocked the use of federal courts and prisons for Guantanamo detainees, but there are other options which — largely out of political cowardice — the president has shied away from using. There are 166 detainees in Guantanamo, of which up to 16 are “high-value detainees” who were sent in from CIA black sites; 86, meanwhile, have been cleared for release and the status of the remainder is (for no good reason) classified.
The vast majority of these are not hardened terrorists. Indeed, many are like Mohamedou Ould Slahi, a Mauritanian who has just published a terrifying memoir of his treatment in the facility. As long ago as 2007 it was determined there was no evidence to try him on and yet six years later, he remains in a cage there. Obama could use his waiver powers to order the release of many of these “cleared” detainees if the department of defence did not classify them as a security risk, say lawyers who work at Guantanamo.
But he has chosen not to, presumably for fear that they may reoffend — a risk the US public is not prepared to accept. So defeated is Obama that the head of the state department’s own department for resettling Guantanamo detainees was reassigned this year and not replaced: It is not just the detainees who appeared to have abandoned all hope. Now, having declaring this fresh start, Obama must appoint a significant White House figure with orders to get these repatriations moving and begin to reverse the terrible damage done.
It is true that Congress will almost certainly not allow the high-value detainees, including the 9/11 accused, to be transferred to and tried in the federal courts system, but after four years of procrastination a start is overdue.
This must be the beginning of a full reckoning on the use of torture that includes the publication of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s 6,000-page report on the post-9/11 CIA interrogation and detention programme. More than just the “war on terror” is at stake here — at a time of global upheaval, everything Americans aspire to believe in is on the line. When China tortures its dissidents, its officials only need one word to see off America or Europe when Americans speak of their belief in universal values: “Guantanamo”.
And time is short for Obama to seize and secure a legacy on this. It is worth remembering that Mitt Romney’s transition-team advisers wrote him a memo strongly advising that he “rescind and replace” Obama’s 2009 executive order banning the use of torture. There remains no federal statute that would have prevented a ‘President Romney’ from turning back the clock and to listen to Condoleezza Rice defending George W. Bush’s decision to authorise the use of torture, at the opening of his presidential library last week, no reason to expect that could not happen. It is time to act.
Mockingbird author sues
Mockingbird author sues, Harper Lee, the author of To Kill A Mockingbird, has sued her literary agent for allegedly duping her into assigning him the copyright on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.
In the lawsuit filed in federal court in Manhattan, Lee says Samuel Pinkus, the son-in-law of Lee's long-time agent, Eugene Winick, took advantage of her failing hearing and eyesight to transfer the rights on the book, which has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and became an Oscar-winning film.
The 87-year-old says she has no memory of agreeing to relinquish her rights or signing the agreement that cements the purported transfer.
Winick had represented Lee for more than 40 years. When he became ill in 2002, Pinkus diverted several of his father-in-law's clients to his own company, the lawsuit said.
According to the lawsuit, in 2007 Pinkus "engaged in a scheme to dupe" Lee into assigning the novel's copyright without any payment and had since failed to respond to licence requests.
To Kill a Mockingbird is the only published book by the author, who lives in Monroeville, Alabama, and is rarely seen in public.
It is also alleged that Pinkus failed to respond to offers on e-book rights and a request for assistance related to the book's 50th anniversary.
The lawsuit asks the court to assign any rights in the book owned by Pinkus to Lee and requests that he hand over any commission he took from 2007 onwards.
The novel tells the story of lawyer Atticus Finch's defence of a black man charged with the rape of a white girl through the eyes of his children Scout and Jem Finch. It takes its title from Finch's advice to his children: "Shoot all the Bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a Mockingbird."
Among the book's many fans are Oprah Winfrey, Truman Capote and George W Bush – who awarded Lee the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her "outstanding contribution to America's literary tradition".
In the lawsuit filed in federal court in Manhattan, Lee says Samuel Pinkus, the son-in-law of Lee's long-time agent, Eugene Winick, took advantage of her failing hearing and eyesight to transfer the rights on the book, which has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and became an Oscar-winning film.
The 87-year-old says she has no memory of agreeing to relinquish her rights or signing the agreement that cements the purported transfer.
Winick had represented Lee for more than 40 years. When he became ill in 2002, Pinkus diverted several of his father-in-law's clients to his own company, the lawsuit said.
According to the lawsuit, in 2007 Pinkus "engaged in a scheme to dupe" Lee into assigning the novel's copyright without any payment and had since failed to respond to licence requests.
To Kill a Mockingbird is the only published book by the author, who lives in Monroeville, Alabama, and is rarely seen in public.
It is also alleged that Pinkus failed to respond to offers on e-book rights and a request for assistance related to the book's 50th anniversary.
The lawsuit asks the court to assign any rights in the book owned by Pinkus to Lee and requests that he hand over any commission he took from 2007 onwards.
The novel tells the story of lawyer Atticus Finch's defence of a black man charged with the rape of a white girl through the eyes of his children Scout and Jem Finch. It takes its title from Finch's advice to his children: "Shoot all the Bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a Mockingbird."
Among the book's many fans are Oprah Winfrey, Truman Capote and George W Bush – who awarded Lee the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her "outstanding contribution to America's literary tradition".
Ann curry wasn't good at her job
Ann curry wasn't good at her job, Today Show" insider, Brian Stelter, said Ann Curry "wasn't good at her job" and this why she was fired.
The New York Times reporter and author of a a new book chatted with CNN's Piers Morgan on May 3 and made efforts to debunk a Matt Lauer-led conspiracy to fire his former co-host. He believes NBC morning show executives failed by promoting her in 2011.
"That was the fatal mistake. Promoting her in the first place is where things started to go wrong. Removing her was the right thing to do by lots of different measures but it was just done the wrong way," Stelter responded to Piers Morgan on his request about Curry's hiring and termination from the role as Lauer's co-host.
On why Ann Curry "wasn't good at job" politics and performing good enough for a ratings boost, Stelter claims she was caught in the middle of a struggle among show producers.
He calls the behind the scenes skirmish as a "Civil War of suits, referring to Jim Bell and Steve Capus.
Stelter believes both men erred in rushing Curry to the chair alongside Lauer without using creativity to source an ideal person to gel with Matt in the role. What's more, Brian says producers sat by idly when the show became "stale."
In an interview with Business Insider, the host read excerpts from Stelter's book, "Top of the Morning" and asked him to respond to them.
"She was pretty bad at the job," responded Stelter, adding "and she wasn't getting a lot of support to get better...I think there is some truth to the fact that she [Ann Curry] wasn't good at the job."
And the end result was a "Good Morning America" train that barreled down the tracks and dethroned "Today." But someone had to be blamed, right?
Perhaps, in keeping with the "last one hired, first one fired" old business adage, Ann was a pawn and collateral damage from the failings of management.
Do you believe Ann Curry was not good at her job at the "Today Show?" Or is there more to this story about why she was really fired?
The New York Times reporter and author of a a new book chatted with CNN's Piers Morgan on May 3 and made efforts to debunk a Matt Lauer-led conspiracy to fire his former co-host. He believes NBC morning show executives failed by promoting her in 2011.
"That was the fatal mistake. Promoting her in the first place is where things started to go wrong. Removing her was the right thing to do by lots of different measures but it was just done the wrong way," Stelter responded to Piers Morgan on his request about Curry's hiring and termination from the role as Lauer's co-host.
On why Ann Curry "wasn't good at job" politics and performing good enough for a ratings boost, Stelter claims she was caught in the middle of a struggle among show producers.
He calls the behind the scenes skirmish as a "Civil War of suits, referring to Jim Bell and Steve Capus.
Stelter believes both men erred in rushing Curry to the chair alongside Lauer without using creativity to source an ideal person to gel with Matt in the role. What's more, Brian says producers sat by idly when the show became "stale."
In an interview with Business Insider, the host read excerpts from Stelter's book, "Top of the Morning" and asked him to respond to them.
"She was pretty bad at the job," responded Stelter, adding "and she wasn't getting a lot of support to get better...I think there is some truth to the fact that she [Ann Curry] wasn't good at the job."
And the end result was a "Good Morning America" train that barreled down the tracks and dethroned "Today." But someone had to be blamed, right?
Perhaps, in keeping with the "last one hired, first one fired" old business adage, Ann was a pawn and collateral damage from the failings of management.
Do you believe Ann Curry was not good at her job at the "Today Show?" Or is there more to this story about why she was really fired?
Remains found in northwest Indiana
Remains found in northwest Indiana, Michigan City, IN, Police were on the scene of a discovery Friday of what appears to be human remains.
Around 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon, police were called to the area of County Line Road and Chandler Avenue, on the west side of the city, near the Town of Pines.
It was heartbreaking news to the family of missing Candi Brown Morris, who disappeared from Michigan City in August 2012. Search efforts for the missing wife and mother have been focused on the western edge of the city, near the Pines' area, based on cell phone information obtained by authorities. However, no identity has yet been made; and Candi's family and friends continue to await more information.
The missing persons' group Moms on a Mission -- which works hand-in-hand with Candi's family -- has released a statement regarding the discovery:
We have become aware of remains that were located Friday on County line Road. There has been NO identification of the remains at this time. Candi's family and friends would appreciate privacy and patience at this time while they await some information from law enforcement. We will update everyone here when we know more. As usual, I am also asking that we try to keep the rumors to a minimum. We don't want to have anyone needlessly upset by speculation or gossip. Thank you everyone for understanding."
New information obtained this morning indicates an autopsy will be conducted to determine identity.
Candi Sue Brown Morris is 5’4" tall, weighing 130 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She is also described as having “several tattoos”. Anyone with information regarding Candi’s disappearance is asked to contact Detective Jason Holaway at the Michigan City, IN, Police Department, at (219) 874-3221.
Around 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon, police were called to the area of County Line Road and Chandler Avenue, on the west side of the city, near the Town of Pines.
It was heartbreaking news to the family of missing Candi Brown Morris, who disappeared from Michigan City in August 2012. Search efforts for the missing wife and mother have been focused on the western edge of the city, near the Pines' area, based on cell phone information obtained by authorities. However, no identity has yet been made; and Candi's family and friends continue to await more information.
The missing persons' group Moms on a Mission -- which works hand-in-hand with Candi's family -- has released a statement regarding the discovery:
We have become aware of remains that were located Friday on County line Road. There has been NO identification of the remains at this time. Candi's family and friends would appreciate privacy and patience at this time while they await some information from law enforcement. We will update everyone here when we know more. As usual, I am also asking that we try to keep the rumors to a minimum. We don't want to have anyone needlessly upset by speculation or gossip. Thank you everyone for understanding."
New information obtained this morning indicates an autopsy will be conducted to determine identity.
Candi Sue Brown Morris is 5’4" tall, weighing 130 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She is also described as having “several tattoos”. Anyone with information regarding Candi’s disappearance is asked to contact Detective Jason Holaway at the Michigan City, IN, Police Department, at (219) 874-3221.
68K gallons of sewage spills into Washington state's 2nd largest natural lake
68K gallons of sewage spills into Washington state's 2nd largest natural lake, The second largest natural lake in Washington state has been polluted with tens of thousands of gallons of sewage, prompting the closure of a popular Seattle area beach.
KIRO-TV reported that an estimated 68,000 gallons of wastewater discharged for about an hour through an emergency outfall, which prevents backups of raw sewage into homes and businesses, into Lake Washington near Kirkland's Marina Park on Thursday (May 2).
The overflow is said to have occurred as a result of an unusual combination of circumstances when a transmitter failed to signal two of the station’s pumps to begin operating. A third pump that normally engages when water levels rise experienced a clutch failure.
Environmental officials say the beach will remain closed through the weekend as they conduct daily test of the waters. It takes 24 hours for those test results to come back and they need two straight days of clean readings to open the beach. The results of the test are not likely to be available until at least Monday.
Crews will also be working to clean up trash and visible material deposited into the lake.
This is the third failure in just the last four years at the Kirkland station. Three years ago (2010), 25,000 gallons spilled into the lake. Another sewage spill occurred a year later in 2011 with 8,000 gallons spilling into the lake, according to KIRO-TV.
King County officials said the Kirkland station has been operating for more than 40 years and aging equipment needs to be replaced. They hope a $2 million upgrade scheduled for later this year will keep the sewage spills from occurring, and keep the area beach open.
Lake Washington is a large freshwater lake that borders the cities of Seattle on the west, Bellevue and Kirkland on the east, Renton on the south and Kenmore on the north. The lake is fed by the Sammamish River at its north end and the Cedar River at its south.
It is the second largest natural lake in the state of Washington, after Lake Chelan.
Get more interesting environment and science and space news. Also, follow along with the thousands of others for periodic weather updates, news and notes on Twitter.
KIRO-TV reported that an estimated 68,000 gallons of wastewater discharged for about an hour through an emergency outfall, which prevents backups of raw sewage into homes and businesses, into Lake Washington near Kirkland's Marina Park on Thursday (May 2).
The overflow is said to have occurred as a result of an unusual combination of circumstances when a transmitter failed to signal two of the station’s pumps to begin operating. A third pump that normally engages when water levels rise experienced a clutch failure.
Environmental officials say the beach will remain closed through the weekend as they conduct daily test of the waters. It takes 24 hours for those test results to come back and they need two straight days of clean readings to open the beach. The results of the test are not likely to be available until at least Monday.
Crews will also be working to clean up trash and visible material deposited into the lake.
This is the third failure in just the last four years at the Kirkland station. Three years ago (2010), 25,000 gallons spilled into the lake. Another sewage spill occurred a year later in 2011 with 8,000 gallons spilling into the lake, according to KIRO-TV.
King County officials said the Kirkland station has been operating for more than 40 years and aging equipment needs to be replaced. They hope a $2 million upgrade scheduled for later this year will keep the sewage spills from occurring, and keep the area beach open.
Lake Washington is a large freshwater lake that borders the cities of Seattle on the west, Bellevue and Kirkland on the east, Renton on the south and Kenmore on the north. The lake is fed by the Sammamish River at its north end and the Cedar River at its south.
It is the second largest natural lake in the state of Washington, after Lake Chelan.
Get more interesting environment and science and space news. Also, follow along with the thousands of others for periodic weather updates, news and notes on Twitter.
2 bodies at crash site of U.S. military plane in Afghanistan
2 bodies at crash site of U.S. military plane in Afghanistan, Two bodies at crash site where a U.S. plane went down Friday in Afghanistan were discovered, Reuters reports May 4. The exact location of the wreckage was in Kyrgyzstan where a cargo plane exploded while in mid-air. The fuel it was carrying ignited the explosion, investigators said.
Remains of two people on-board the flight were found Saturday, but there were three known to be on the plane.
An investigation will be conducted to learn why the plane crashed, but Kuyan Mamakeev -- state prosecutor of Kyrgyz -- said the explosion could have been related to a number of factors with the fuel, engine, and weather conditions.
Kuvan Mamakeev, the Kyrgyz state prosecutor responsible for investigating transport crimes and accidents.
70 tons of fuel were aboard the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker that left a U.S. military transit center from Kyrgyzstan Manas airport.
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Remains of two people on-board the flight were found Saturday, but there were three known to be on the plane.
An investigation will be conducted to learn why the plane crashed, but Kuyan Mamakeev -- state prosecutor of Kyrgyz -- said the explosion could have been related to a number of factors with the fuel, engine, and weather conditions.
Kuvan Mamakeev, the Kyrgyz state prosecutor responsible for investigating transport crimes and accidents.
70 tons of fuel were aboard the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker that left a U.S. military transit center from Kyrgyzstan Manas airport.
To keep up with the latest trending headlines or entertainment news by Heather Tooley, hit the "subscribe" button above or follow @lextsy on Twitter.